Graham’s Homes hostel off Park Street to serve as a safe home

Kolkata: The imposing four-storey building of the Birkmyre Hostel on Middleton Row will soon be a

safe home

run by the state health department.

Owned by Dr Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong, the 121-year-old boarding school in the Hills, the hostel housed the students of the Homes when they were in Kolkata for higher studies or waiting to get placed in jobs. The board of management of the Homes felt that since the hostel is not in use now, the building can be given to the state health department, which can use it for

Covid

patients during this pandemic. The offer was accepted by the state health department after it inspected the building.

The building was constructed 96 years ago by Scotsman Archibald Birkmyre as his tribute to Daddy Graham and as a “gift to the children of Kalimpong”. Reverend Dr John Anderson Graham, the Scottish missionary to the Darjeeling, remains a legend today, having built the school for orphans who needed love more than education. Among the many admirers he had in his lifetime was Birkmyre, a wealthy businessman, who was also a part of the Viceroy’s legislative council. The present board of management of the Homes, headed by its president Shane Calvert, who is also the former Anglo Indian MLA, made the offer formally to the state health secretary on Saturday, after which inspections were done on Monday and the state health department formally accepted the offer.

“Each floor has over 5,000 sq ft of usable area and can be used for setting up Covid beds. We have also offered the portico for use,” said Calvert. Initially, at least 100 Covid beds can be set up in the building. The high ceilings, huge windows and well-ventilated big hall like rooms have been appreciated by the health department officials. The building, however, does not have a lift and hence very serious patients cannot be kept on the top floors. “The space is huge and there is locational advantage in this building. You cannot imagine being offered so much space for setting up a Covid safe home and vaccination centre just off Park Street. The entrances are also huge and there will be no question of crowding too,” said a health official.

Calvert is happy that the Homes has been able to make its humble offering as the state grapples with the Corona situation. The state health secretary, Saumitra Mohan, said, “We are working out the details.”