The iconic La Martiniere schools are set to receive permission for urgent safety repairs after chunks of ceiling began falling in their heritage buildings, posing serious risks to 6,000 students.
Following a joint inspection with the state heritage commission on Monday, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials confirmed they will allow necessary repairs to worn-out plaster on ceilings and walls — but with strict conditions to preserve the schools’ historical integrity.
A civic official said an engineer from La Martiniere guided the team.
Safety first
The repair approval comes after a dramatic incident where a large piece of ceiling crashed from a height of 40 feet, prompting school authorities to approach Calcutta High Court for emergency intervention. A vacation bench headed by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh has demanded an inspection report by June 5.
“The representative of La Martiniere schools showed our team some places where chunks from the ceiling can fall. We will allow them to carry out these repairs. We will not compromise with the safety of students,” said a senior KMC official.
“But the repairs must be completed using original construction materials without adding new features or ornamental work.”
The restrictions are stringent: Modern cement cannot replace traditional lime and mortar used in the 1836 construction. Any changes to the buildings’ appearance are prohibited.
“We will prepare an inspection report and submit it to the high court,” said another official.
Race against time
With schools reopening on June 17 after summer vacation, time is critical. The joint inspection team from KMC and the state heritage commission found spalling and damp patches across both La Martiniere for Boys and La Martiniere for Girls campuses.
However, the team only examined 25 classrooms — less than a third of the total facilities. School secretary Supriyo Dhar expressed concern: “If we cannot conduct repairs before summer vacation ends, student safety will be at stake.”
Bureaucratic hurdles
The schools had requested extensive renovations, including classrooms, electrical work, sanitation facilities, sports fields, and administrative blocks. It remains unclear
how much of this broader renovation plan will receive approval.
The situation has been complicated by the schools’ failure to follow proper heritage approval procedures. As Grade I heritage buildings — the highest protection category in KMC’s heritage list —
La Martiniere should have submitted detailed repair plans before beginning any work.
“Any repair in a Grade I heritage building requires the civic body’s nod, which the school did not have,” said a senior KMC official.
“They have already done considerable work without permission,” noted the KMC official, contrasting this with another Grade I heritage structure that properly presented plans to the heritage conservation committee before starting repairs.
“La Martiniere should have taken the same route,” he added.
The court-mandated inspection report will determine the final scope of permitted repairs for these storied institutions that have educated generations of Calcutta students for nearly two centuries.
