Post News Network
Kendrapara, Dec 14: The renovation work of the 149-year-old colonial structure Hukitola located near the Mahanadi Delta in the Bay of Bengal undertaken by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) under the World Bank-sponsored Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP) has been going on in full swing. The state forest department expects the work to get completed within a month or two, said Rajnagar divisional forest officer (DFO) Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
The work started in May with an estimated cost of Rs 1.20 crore under the ICZMP. In the first phase, cracks developed on the lime-plastered brick-and-mortar structure are being repaired and dilapidated iron beams were replaced with new ones while doors, windows and arches will be fitted in the second phase, official sources said. The underground rainwater harvesting system will also be refurbished, they added.
British India’s former Cuttack collector John Beams and chief engineer of irrigation J. Huki Waker were the architects of the monument. The great famine of 1866 had led the British to build the warehouse. Rice from various parts of the country made its way to Hukitola Island for storage and subsequent distribution among the starving masses. The autobiographical account of John Beams, Memoirs of a Bengal Civilian, throws light on Hukitola’s past.
The 11,250 sq-ft structure stands testimony to the technical brilliance of British era engineers. The 150 ft long and 75 ft wide building has 11 large and nine small chambers. The uniqueness of the structure, however, lies in its roof. Sloped in design, it helps rainwater flow down to four big water pots. The collected water was then used for drinking purpose by merchants.
The site remains a tourist draw. During the winter season, tourists from Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Paradip, Jajpur and other parts of the state visit Hukitola to spend their leisure time. The unforgettable boating experience, the calm environment with mangrove cover and the historical monument allure tourists. However, due to lack of necessary infrastructure at the place several tourists hesitate to visit the place.
As the water of a tube well and a well at the site is saline, visitors face a lot of problems in availing drinking water. Besides, there is no facility for night stay at the place. Visitors said the site will witness more footfalls if the government takes steps to develop its infrastructure.
Necessary steps would be taken in coming days to fulfil the basic needs of tourists at Hukitola, said the DFO. PNN