Bhubaneswar’s 155-Year-Old Chandaka Police Station May Be Turned Into A Heritage Museum

Bhubaneswar: Police stations are perhaps the most ordinary buildings in any city and usually have nothing to boast of in terms of design. Of course, there is no cheerful element in these buildings because they deal in the serious business of law and order. However, when such a structure becomes very old, it acquires historical importance as in the case of the 155-year-old Chandaka police station in the state capital. Built in 1868, the commissionerate police have decided to turn it into a heritage museum.

Even though a new building was constructed on the same campus, the old police station has not been demolished. “We have shifted to the new building lock, stock, and barrel. We want to preserve our history. Efforts are on to convert the old building into a museum,” a senior police officer told the Times of India.

The commissionerate police have requested the Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation to engage its experts to preserve the old police station.
The inspector in charge of Chandaka police station has been asked to trace old FIRs, case diaries, firearms, and office orders that can be preserved in the proposed museum, the report added.

Notably, the Shree Lingaraj and Chandaka police stations in the state capital were built by the British. As per official records, Chandaka police station was built in 1868. However, there is no record to ascertain the year of establishment of Shree Lingaraj police station, which used to be called Bhubaneswar police station. It has been functioning from an age-old asbestos building in front of Lingaraj Temple for the past few months. The old building was demolished for the ongoing redevelopment work around the Lingaraj Temple.

Santosh Pradhan, a 71-year-old retired teacher from Chandaka area told TOI that Chandaka was then the hub of the freedom struggle, which was launched by the valiant Paikas. Pindiki Bhubalendra of Chandaka, an able lieutenant of great Buxi Jagabandhu fought against the British. At that time, the police station was built. Pindiki was later captured and put into prison by the British.

Locals said the old Chandaka police station stood like a rock and bravely weathered cyclones in 1971 and 1999. But the police station suffered massive damages due to Cyclone Phailin in 2013. The police station registered 238, 299 and 321 cases in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the report added.