Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is all set to give final nod to a proposal to preserve one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks by adaptively reusing the house of iconic artist Jamini Roy as a public museum, while formally bringing the property under the heritage protection framework.
The proposal now awaits final approval at the KMC monthly meeting on Thursday, after it was cleared at the Mayor-in-Council meeting (MIC). The Heritage Conservation Committee had recommended to list the residential property on Jamini Roy Sarani as a Grade IIB heritage building. The move is aimed at ensuring statutory protection for the structure while allowing its use for cultural and public purposes.
KMC officials said the initiative reflects KMC’s objective of safeguarding heritage buildings through regulated conservation rather than allowing them to deteriorate or undergo unplanned alterations. Adaptive reuse, they said, allows historically significant structures to remain relevant and accessible while retaining their original character.
The plan envisages converting the artist’s former residence into a museum dedicated to Jamini Roy, one of Bengal’s most celebrated painters whose work drew heavily from folk traditions and indigenous styles. The Heritage Conservation Committee examined the proposal over multiple stages, including conservation reports, heritage inventory details and design submissions, before recommending approval.
The submitted design has been agreed to in principle, subject to specific technical conditions. These include replacing the existing asbestos roofing with a safer, corrosion-resistant and weatherproof roofing system with zinc aluminium coating, in line with present-day safety and durability standards while respecting the heritage fabric of the building.
Officials clarified that before any work can begin, the applicant will have to obtain the mandatory sanction from the KMC building department. The heritage grading of the property will also be formally updated in municipal records from “pending” to Grade IIB to enable regulatory oversight.
If approved by the corporation, the initiative is expected to strengthen KMC’s approach to heritage conservation by combining protection with meaningful public use, while adding a significant cultural space linked to one of Bengal’s most influential artists.