Architectural style Dutch & British Country India | Location Patna, Bihar Elevation 58 m (190 ft) | |
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Patna Collectorate or (District Colletorate, Patna) is administrative head office of Collector of Patna district in Patna (district headquarters). It is situated on the bank of river Ganges, close to Gandhi Maidan. It is in the style of dutch architecture and British architecture and is over 200-year-old building complex. In 2008, the Collectorate was listed as heritage building by the Government of Bihar.
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History
The Dutch first came to Patna in the early 17th century. The building was constructed by the Dutch East India Company and it was used as a godown during the Dutch period. During the British Raj, the British reused this building as Collectorate. The Collectorate started functioning from its present premises from 1857. In 1938, the District Board building was added, which is build in the British architecture.
Overview
The Collectorate is headed by the District collector (also called magistrates), an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Offices of The Additional District Magistrate & Deputy Collector (General), Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition),Deputy Collector (Revenue Recovery), Deputy Collector (Disaster Management), Deputy Collector (Election), Deputy Collector (Land Reforms) and office of the Senior Finance Officer are also functioning in Collectorate Building.
Recent controversy
In 2016, the Bihar government decided to dismantle the old buildings and replace them with a new complex. This led to widespread voiced protests and criticism by historians and different organisations, most notably; the New Delhi based Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and the London based Gandhi Foundation. In April 2016, Ambassador of the Netherlands to India Alphonsus Stoelinga in a letter to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar appealed to spare Collectorate demolition.