Bid to install metal sheet on tiled roof of heritage building halted at Jew Town in Mattancherry

Protests halt attempt to replace tiled roof with metal sheets on heritage building in Kochi's Jew Town.

Attempt to replace a portion of the tiled roof of a heritage building at the entrance to Synagogue Lane at Jew Town in Mattancherry with metal sheets was halted on Saturday following protests by handicraft-traders association and others from the famed heritage town.

The building houses the office of Cochin Oil Merchants’ Association and also has a few shops that have been taken on rent. Those who organised a protest in front of the building citing violation of heritage norms included former Mayor K.J. Sohan and T.K. Ashraf, chairman of the Kochi Corporation’s health standing committee.

Asserting that heritage structures ought to be preserved as such for future generations or renovated in keeping with norms, the protesters said thousands of tourists visited the locale from across the globe to see the row of heritage structures, the Synagogue, and the Dutch Palace, among others. On the face of it, work to cover a portion of the roof with metal sheet appears to have been done with the knowledge of the Archaeology department. The permission of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Heritage Commission, and the Kochi Corporation too is needed for such renovation works. None of this was complied with, they said.

Meanwhile, office-bearers of oil merchants’ association said the work had been halted, and that a decision on it would be taken after a meeting on Monday. “We are not for any confrontation with anyone over the issue. We had obtained permission to renovate from the agencies concerned,” they added.

Sources in the Archaeology department said any structure within 100 metres of the synagogue could be renovated only using materials that were originally used. “The building in question is located beyond 100 metres. We had directed the association to go ahead with the renovation of the roof only after obtaining sanction from the district town planner and officials of the Art and Heritage Commission. This does not appear to have been complied with. We will issue a stop memo, if there is any formal complaint,” they added.