Hyderabad’s James Street Police Station, built in 1870s, revitalised for future

Conservation architect GSV Suryanarayan Murthy of Kshetra Consultants said his team studied the original geometry, architectural features, and material used, along with archival research, to restore the building. Asked about the condition of the building at the start of the conservation project, he said that the structure was intact, though portions of the roof at the back had cracked. “People had added a water tank, damaging the brackets and parapet, and the roof portion. We removed it and tried to load the water tank appropriately so that it does not further damage the structure in the future,” he added.

According to him, the “Madras terrace” and “jack-arch roof” are unique to the era’s buildings. “There are no people who know the know-how of this kind of roof. So, we studied the previous specifications from old documents, trained people, tested at some place, did trial and error, and we continued only after finding them appropriate,” he said, adding that the famed British Residency and iconic Kurshid Jah Devdi are examples of similar architecture to be found in Hyderabad.

Mir Khan of Deccan Terrain Heritage, who carried out the restoration work, said that several layers of foreign material, such as cement and synthetic paints, were carefully removed and redone with ancient lime plaster techniques, as part of the restoration. “The ornamental lime plaster over typical colonial brick masonry is one of a kind in clock tower design, signifying the era of brick and lime mastery, where curved steps and grooves on the outer walls distinguish it from general lime buildings’ ornamentation,” he said.

According to Khan, wooden rafters, due to constant moisture, were damaged, and wherever required, propping was done and replaced. “Due to ageing and interventions, the building, like any heritage building, required detailed analysis before taking up restoration. We have to retain the breathability in the walls. So, for aeration, we have to have lime plaster on both sides. Terrace leakages are common in any heritage building. However, if you don’t attend to them in time, the water penetrates the building and becomes a problem. The clock tower was in bad shape. There was a 400-kg brass bell. We have kept it on the ground floor as a memento,” he explained.