Renovation
Renovation work of the hall was first carried out in October 1967 and the then Chief Minister C.N.Annadurai dedicated it for public use. After a few years, the building remained closed for over 40 years. In early 1990s, Suresh Krishna, the then Sheriff of Madras, took some efforts in salvaging a part of the building, and restored the Trevelyan Fountain. The former Maharashtra Governor C. Subramaniam rededicated the building in December 1993.
The Corporation of Chennai started renovating the hall in April 2009 at a cost of 39.6 million under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. The restoration work includes replacement of damaged roof and work on the wooden flooring and staircase. The roofing is complete with teak wood, while Mangalore tiles embellish the building. The dilapidated cuddapah stones were recently replaced with semi-polished stones.
Once the work is finished, sound and light show would be conducted on the ground floor. The first floor would be used to conduct cultural programmes. The hall would have a seating capacity of 600 persons. The work is expected to be completed by June 2012.
Read more about this topic: Victoria Public Hall
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