Delhi: Kashmere Gate
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
St James' Church
The Times of India, Jul 03 2016
Richi Verma St James' Church in Kash mere Gate isn't just the oldest church in Delhi, it's also pivotal to the cap ital's history. Established by Colonel James Skinner in the early 19th century, the church has stood proud for over a century and a half, surviving even the battering it received during the Revolt of 1857. But age is finally catching up with this first protestant church of Delhi. The church's facade has been damaged by water seepage and missing mouldings; there are cracks in the building and the red sandstone flooring has also seen rapid deterioration. Naturally, the managing committee is worried.
Intach Delhi chapter has prepared a detailed project report on the problems faced by St James church. “The most important step is to strengthen the building and its foundation. This is critical as the metro corridor near the church will start by the year-end. We do not know what will be the effect of vibrations. We have suggested a few measures to safeguard the building,“ said an official.
Members of the church congre gation said it was necessary to have a complete overhaul. “Over the years, there has been steady decay, and strengthening the foundation is a priority. We are highly concerned about the impact of metro vibration. Delhi Metro has built two underground tunnels in front of the church. While DMRC has assured us that the line will have no impact on the church building, we want to be doubly cautious. Once the trains start running at a twominute frequency in each direction, we wo r r y i t w i l l cause tremors that could affect the church. Even though DMRC says with modern technology, there will be no impact on the church, we are the custodians of this church and we want to our own assessment. So we asked Intach to prepare a report on the condition of the grounds around the metro tunnel and the possible effect on the church,“ said a senior member of the church committee.
“Extensive instrumentation and real-time monitoring was done to check the effect of vibrations or damage to the structure during tunnelling in this stretch. DMRC has taken a lot of measures to ensure that tunnelling progresses smoothly without disturbing the church,“ said a DMRC spokesperson.
Checking the effect of vibration is a priority for the church; water damage is another problem that must be addressed.
“The church's proximity to the Yamuna and a high underground water table has made it vulnerable to water damage. There is seepage through the walls and pillars that has damaged the facade,“ said a church member.
The Intach report lists the problem of water accumulating around the church, particularly during the rains. “We need to ensure water doesn't accumulate around the building, as that leads to seepage and damages the building. The terrace also needs water-proofing,“ said an Intach official.
Other problem areas are cracks in the terracotta balustrades, weakening of pillars due to water damage and rusting of iron rafters. The memorial plaques need cleaning too. The DPR submitted in April focuses on strengthening the building to reduce effect of vibrations and overall conservation of the building. The project is expected to start in September.
“The next major step is to get funds. The DPR has a budget of Rs 3.5 crore and our annual budget is a fraction of that. The church has just 200 mem bers and our only source of funds is contri butions. We will soon launch a collection drive and appeal to international agencies, representa tives of Commonwealth countries, British High Commission, Christian institutions and anyone who has a link with us. We also plan to approach the Delhi gover nment and LG office.In 1995, the LG had contributed Rs 20 lakh for conservation,“ said senior member of the church committee.
