The 168 year old CSI St. Thomas Tamil Church in San Thome is being re-constructed.
A major portion of the church on San Thome High Road has been demolished but the facade has been retained in order to merge it with the new structure. “We are rebuilding the church step-bystep to retain its old features and are guided in this project by the CSI Diocese,” said Rev. B. Devaprasad.
Antique furniture, the altar and many accessories used for religious services have been put away for safe-keeping to be used when the new church gets built, we are told.
The project has received a fund of Rs.1.44 crores from the state government and fifty percent of it has been paid as advance.
Meanwhile, church services are now held at the chapel inside the campus of CSI School for the Deaf in San Thome.
Heritage activists though have been taken aback by this development. They say that a church which is listed as a heritage structure has to follow certain regulations before it is ‘touched’ and they fear that these were not respected at all.
The CMDA’s heritage committee has been briefed of this development.
