Iconic 180-year-old church in Darjeeling goes for renovation

DARJEELING: The 180-year-old St Andrew's Church in Darjeeling, a heritage structure located on Mall Road, is set for renovation and restoration.
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration will begin the repair work on Saturday. The church, which is a popular draw for many tourists in the Hills town, has been in a dilapidated condition for long. The plaster is peeling off the walls, the wooden floor panels are damaged and the clock tower and organ are not functional.
"The church was established in 1843 and a heritage structure like this should be preserved.Earlier, funds came in for restoration of the church, but the money was taken back for some reason. After we formed the new board, we pursued the matter again and the state government allotted Rs 1.9 crore for the work. The tender has been floated and the work will start from Saturday," said GTA tourism sabhasad Norden Sherpa.
The present look of the church will be kept intact as it is a heritage structure and a specialised architect has been roped in to oversee the renovation and restoration.
GTA chief executive Anit Thapa said, "The state government sanctioned funds after we proposed the restoration of the church. Our team has worked for peace and we have managed to bring stability in the Hills after a long time."
The church's pastor, Rupert Rai, said, "We are happy that the church is finally going to be renovated. We are a small congregation comprising 40 families as members, and with the funds we had raised we could only renovate the outer side of the structure and give it a fresh coat of paint."
"The restoration is big work as the walls need to be repaired along with the clock tower that used to be in operation till the 1990s, and the organ also needs to be overhauled. We hope the renovation work will give a new lease of life to the church," Rai said.