Building housing top offices collapses in Galle

Mahinda P. Liyanage Galle central special corr

A massive portion of the pristine Dutch period building where the Galle Heritage Foundation, the office of the Central Cultural Fund and Chemical Conservation Unit of the Archaeological Department are located collapsed around 10.30 a.m. yesterday. It collapsed presumably owing to continuous rain water leaking through the heavily constructed building walls due to the torrential rains during the last few days.

The building stands on the Hospital Road of the historical Galle Fort. There were no casualties. According to chronicles, it was initially constructed by the Dutch in the 1700s as a single storey hospital building.

Later the Britishers during their occupation had reconstructed it developing into a two storey building where they ran their main administrative secretariat of the south.

During the recent past, the Galle district secretariat, Divisional Secretariat of Galle Four Gravets, Galle district election office and Samurdi office had been functioning in this premises prior to being shifted to the modern building complex opposite the Galle Municipal Council.

At the time of the collapse the building was being renovated and conservation work being carried out by the International Council for Monuments and Sites (INCOMAS) under a project financed by the American Express Bank.

INCOMAS had earlier warned authorities to vacate the building to facilitate the conservation and renovation work and also as the building was in a dilapidated state.

Galle Heritage Foundation Chairman Parakrama Dahanayake said they could not vacate the place due to the inability to find an alternative location and assured to take immediate steps to find a suitable place.