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CEG's Heritage Main Building Under Threat From Upcoming 10 Story Building

College of Engineering Guindy is India's oldest engineering college. The beautiful main building of the college is more than 100 years old and has been rightfully declared as a heritage building. In normal times there would not be a need to explicitly say that this heritage building needs to be preserved, but these are different times.

It has come to light that Madras University, the parent University of CEG & Anna University, is planning to build a tall building (around 1o stories) at their site west of Anna University's play ground. Any one who passed on the Kotturpuram side of the campus recently might have noticed that the shrubs between the compound wall and the play ground have been cleared and a huge foundation pit is being dug.

An imposing ten story high building is not in the best interest of preserving a heritage building. I am not an expert in structural engineering or architecture, so I can not say how it is going to directly affect the main building. I hope the learned & eminent Civil Engineers will come up with proper technical explanation on why such a tall building should not be erected. But for now, I can definitively say the aesthetics of the heritage structure will be compromised by the new building. More over the building site is directly west of the main building and hence the main building's visibility will be completely obscured.

Apart from the above objections, what is more appalling is that it looks like Madras University probably has not got the clearance from CMDA. For a 10 story building, they may require a large front setback(I think two thirds of the height of the building is the standard). There is not that much space available for Madras University. Similarly, the main building being a heritage building, any near-by construction that may potentially disturb it should get appropriate clearance. It is not sure whether Madras University has got such clearance. Since Madras University owns another well know heritage building the "senate building", they should have known better.

Also, it seems they have not officially informed about the building plans to the leadership of Anna University even as a simple neighborly courtesy. Ironically the plan of ten story building has come to light when Madras University had submitted the plan to CEG's Structural Engineering department for analysis.

Of course, the leadership of Anna University should have protested strongly to this new and objectionable addition. However for some reason there seems to be more silence on their end than protest. So it has become the duty of the CEG and Anna University Alumni to raise whatever noise possible in protest. As alumni, we lose no opportunity to claim the pride for being cream of cream and for having CEG as our Alma-Matter and now is the time for taking some responsibility. So please spread the news.

You may be asking what is the source for the details listed above and if there is an URL to an MSM article. There is no MSM coverage on this yet. The alumni should come together and take steps so that it is noticed by MSM. I came to know about these during the Executive Council Meeting of CEG Alumni Association (which I attended as an invitee). A senior faculty member and office bearer of alumni association mentioned about this(Since I am not certain whether his name can be mentioned, I have not).