Mamata Banerjee's surprise visit to Writers' Buildings

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today paid a surprise visit to the Writers' Buildings, the erstwhile state secretariat, which is undergoing extensive renovation.

The security staff and officials of some departments left in the building were taken by surprise when the chief minister stepped into the iconic building a little after noon, first time after the secretariat was shifted to Nabanna in Howrah.

Sensing the relaxed mood of the staff and officials on the last day of the year, Banerjee asked them not to worry. She went around the building for sometime, asking about the progress of the renovation.

But no sooner had the word of her visit spread around than the chief minister left for the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor K N Tripahi.

The restoration of the heritage building, seat of Bengal administration since Independence, has gone a step ahead with the submission of two parts of the four-part final report by an expert committee to the state PWD department recently.

With the completion of the project, Writers' Buildings would be transformed into a modern state secretariat, but at the same time retaining its heritage status, fit to last for at least a few centuries.