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– Paul Noronha

A policeman standing guard in front of the Taj Hotel (file photo).

Our Bureau

Mumbai, Dec 3 Tata group’s Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has begun preliminary work towards opening part of the Taj Mahal Hotel property which has suffered damage in the terrorist attack last week.

In a notice sent to Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday, the company said, “We are working with reputed agencies to sanitise and repair the hotel to be in a position to re-open the Tower wing on priority.” The company said, early estimates suggest that the Tower Wing of the hotel has not suffered any significant damage. However, “the Heritage wing did suffer from the impact of severe assault.”

While it is still unclear how many agencies have been involved in the reconstruction and restoration work, a Mumbai-based engineering consultancy firm Structwel Designers and Consultants Pvt Ltd has been entrusted with the task of providing structural and building consultancy for the hotel, an official from Structwel said.

“We have signed an agreement for giving consultancy in building and structural related work for Taj Hotel,” said Mr Chetan Raikar, Managing Director of the engineering firm. However, he declined to provide any further details saying he is bound by “no disclosure clause” in the agreement.

Structwel has been into engineering consultancy for the past four decades. According to the company’s Web site, it has in-house team of architects, structural engineers, electrical/mechanical engineers and project management consultants. Among other prestigious projects, the company is also handling restoration work at CST headquarters and Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Chairman, Mr S.K. Misra, had also proposed to restore the grandeur of Taj hotel in a letter sent to Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman of IHCL. Speaking to Business Line, Mr Misra said, “We have not received any response from the company as of now.” INTACH was associated with Taj group of hotels to refurbish parts of Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad to accommodate guests.

IHCL in the BSE statement also said that company management has been “formally handed over the custody” of the hotel by the police authorities on December 1. Specialist external agencies have been contracted to assess the damage and to quantify the costs and time lines for the repairs and restoration of the hotel, the statement said.

More Stories on : Outlook | Terrorism | Hotels

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