GUWAHATI: What two of the biggest earthquakes in Assam left untouched, GMDA's bulldozers took just hours to reduce to rubble. The demolition of Mahafezkhana, a historic land records office from the British colonial era in Guwahati, has ignited a fierce debate over the preservation of Guwahati's heritage structures.
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The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) brought down the over 160-year-old building as part of the Brahmaputra Riverfront Beautification Project, without prior consultation with city residents.
Built between 1855 and 1865, Mahafezkhana was an architectural marvel of its time. Spanning 86 ft by 77 ft, the substantial brick structure featured imposing iron gates, 20-inch-thick walls, and a continuous verandah, offering durability and security. Positioned near the treasury, it housed crucial administrative records, including land documents, patta, jamabandi, and namzari papers.
For many, Mahafezkhana was not just a building but a repository of Assam’s administrative, architectural, and archival history. It stood as a symbol of colonial governance, a reminder of the region’s bureaucratic evolution.
The demolition has left many residents outraged.
Talking to GPlus, Masaddar Hussain, a resident of Dighalipukhuri said, "We oppose this. Losing historical structures in this transition period is a crime. In the name of development, they are tearing down buildings of historical significance. First, it was the DC bungalow, and now this. We didn’t even know it was going to be demolished. Everyone has the right to see the Brahmaputra, but they are turning everything into a commercial venture, making people pay to visit these so-called parks."
Another resident in Uzanbazar said, "They are erasing everything in the name of beautification. The view from Dighalipukhuri to Panbazar is gone. With Mahafezkhana gone, people need to wake up and see what we are losing. If this continues, every heritage building will vanish."
Senior journalist Mrinal Talukdar took to social media to condemn the act. "OUTRAGEOUS! #Mahafezkhana — Assam’s oldest surviving concrete structure, perhaps the oldest in Northeast India — has been mercilessly destroyed by GMDA in the name of park extension! This isn’t just demolition, this is desecration."
Filmmaker and journalist Utpal Borpujari echoed the sentiment, posting, "What 1857 and 1950 quakes couldn't achieve... We as a community have no respect for heritage and history. #Mahafezkhana."
However, GMDA officials have defended their action. A senior official told GPlus, "We are only extending the park. I don’t think there was any heritage value there." He further added, "We were informed that it was court property. The court granted us an NOC, so we proceeded with the demolition." It is ironic though that GMDA found the "no heritage value" structure of enough heritage significance to include it in its coffee table book titled Forever Guwahati. Also, it was perhaps with some pride that the GMDA had posted in 2024: "Did You Know?
Mahafezkhana near the erstwhile Deputy Commissioner's bungalow, came up after 1855. With 20-inch thick walls, it was one of two structures in the city that withstood the 1897 earthquake. "
While authorities push for modernisation, many fear that Guwahati’s historical identity is being erased, one building at a time.
