Bhubaneswar: The iconic Gajapati Palace in Paralakhemundi should be preserved and developed as a museum as it has rich history behind it. It was the nerve centre for the formation of Odisha and hence has historical value as per the opinions of many social media users. They have requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to look into the matter as the more than a century-old structure is in dire need of restoration. Many have tagged their tweets to the CMO’s office seeking prompt action.
Prasanna Mishra, a former civil servant said the Gajapati Palace needs to be preserved at any cost. Another user said, “Hopefully before it’s too late, if not already, this iconic heritage is given the pride of place it deserves by immediately taking over, renovating and restoring it to make it a treasure house of Odisha’s history.”
The Gajapati Palace is considered the fort of Gajapati rulers where they resided. The palace has both architectural and cultural importance. The palace was built by Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati. It is believed that he built the palace to enhance the beauty of Odisha. The plan was finalised May 20, 1835 after which construction work began.
Meanwhile, the Tourism department’s plans to convert the BN Palace (also known as Basanta Nivas and Brundaban Palace) in Gajapati district into a heritage hotel have remained a non-starter despite the building turning dilapidated by the day.
In 2020, the Tourism department floated a tender to lease out the palace and develop it as a heritage hotel with adherence to guidelines for classification of heritage hotels issued by the Ministry of Tourism. It was called the ‘Restore, Refurbish and Operate’ project entailing designing (for augmentation, refurbishment and restoration), building (including repair), financing and operation of the heritage project for a period of 30 years. However, two years have elapsed but no company has shown interest towards the project.
