The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday directed Chief Secretary to ensure proper utilisation of the British era heritage building of Shimla, commonly known as ‘Town Hall’, after its restoration.

The HC observed that the decision must be taken with regard to proper use of the building after its restoration.

The Town Hall on the Mall housed the Shimla Municipal Corporation Building, before it was vacated for restoration a couple of years ago.

The court ruled that the Town Hall building can be used for housing a library and other public conveniences, rather than leaving it at the mercy of the ‘Babus’, for nailing the restored wooden panels and work of art, only for the purposes of hanging the annual calendars or pasting the same all over the walls.

hile going through the status of the Town Hall Project, the court noticed that the Town Hall building, earlier the office of Municipal Corporation, Shimla was actually designed as ‘New Library and Offices’ by Scottish Architect James Ransome.

Except for some public utility offices, essentially the building was used for the purposes of Library. In fact, the original building, designed as Library, was constructed in the year 1908.

It was only subsequently, much later on that offices were shifted and after partition of the country, some of the offices of the Municipal Corporation were housed therein.

The court observed that due to the restoration of the historic building, Gaiety Theatre, the activities of art and culture have improved and increased multifold. Performers and artists have now got a platform to exhibit their talent.

Not only the locals but even the tourists are being benefited. Also, the Department of Art and Culture, is generating revenue for maintenance of the building.

The culture of knowing and understanding art, in whatever form, is being picked up by the younger generation and solely on account of the exposure, which both the artists, admirers or criticizers have got.

The Court expressed its view that after all, Art and Culture are also true forms of expression of thought, which, needs to be propagated, inculcated and promoted, more so amongst the future generation.