232 year old Chepauk Palace collapses

Chennai, Mar 16 (UNI) The ''Grand Chepauk palace'' a 232-year-old Heritage structure in Chennai city, collapsed here last evening.

No one was injured in the incident as the palace was not in use.

A government office, functioning from the place, was shifted to a new building recently.

Historically known as ''Kals Mahal'', the structure, situated at the Wallajah Road near Marina, had great importance in the history of South India.

The Palace was built by the famous Nawab Muhammad Ali Wallajah, of the Carnatic (1749-1795) On hearing about the collapse of the heritage palace, his descendant Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take steps to repair and renovate the structure.

He said the Chepauk Palace was taken over by the British, after the abolition of the Nawabship of the Carnatic in the year 1855, and later it was occupied by the State government offices.

Stating that the University of Madras and the Senate House was built on the part of the Palace grounds, he pointed out that several Heritage buildings in the country, which were much older than the Chepauk Palace, have been repaired and renovated and taken care of either by the National Heritage and Archaeological department or by the Government of respective states.

Recalling that the Senate House, which was built in the year 1857 was recently renovated AND its old glory restored, he urged the state government to accord the same importance to the Palace, given its historical value.

UNI