Years of neglect left two historic institutions in Puducherry — Calve College and VOC Higher Secondary School — in a state of decay, with structural damage, weakened rafters, and peeling plaster. But now, thanks to efforts by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) that undertook their restoration under the Smart City Scheme, with technical support from Puducherry Technological University and guidance from Puducherry Smart City Development Ltd, the two have been given a new lease on life.
Built in 1877 by philanthropist Calve Soupraya Chettiar, Calve College is an architectural blend of Indian and colonial styles. VOC Higher Secondary School, built in 1885 and originally called ‘Ecole Primaire de Garçons,’ was later renamed in honour of freedom fighter V O Chidambaram.
“For the restoration of Calve College, at a cost of 6 crore, we stabilised rafters, reconstructed the terrace, and restored the lime plaster,” says Intach architect A Arul. VOC school’s ₹3.3 crore renovation included replacing damaged rafters with reinforced concrete ones. “We reapplied lime plaster with natural additives such as kadukkai extract and jaggery solution to maintain its historical integrity,” says Arul.