Colonial-era institutions in seismic zone remain without retrofitting

Patna: Even as Bihar’s rich educational legacy is rooted in several colonial-era institutions, no steps have yet been taken by either the state govt or the universities concerned to retrofit their old buildings for earthquake safety.There are more than a dozen higher educational institutions in the state with ageing structures, many of which have already outlived their lifespan and could collapse in the event of a strong earthquake.According to seismologists, eight of Bihar’s 38 districts fall in the highest seismic Zone V, 24 in Zone IV, and the remaining six in Zone III. Districts along the Nepal border are the most vulnerable. The Bihar-Nepal region has a history of moderate to severe earthquakes, with possible intensity reaching up to 8.4 on the Richter scale, they say.At least half a dozen institutions with century-old buildings are located in the state capital. Established in 1863, Patna College is the oldest higher education institution in Bihar. Its iconic administrative block is even older, having originally served as an opium storehouse and a 17th-century Dutch factory, said former head of Patna University’s ancient Indian history and archaeology department, Jayadeo Mishra.

Nalanda College in Biharsharif was founded in 1870, six years after Patna College. BN College in Patna was established in 1889 by nationalist brothers Babu Bisheswar Singh and Shaligram Singh to promote indigenous education. Langat Singh College in Muzaffarpur, known for its Indo-Saracenic architecture, was built in 1899 and hosted Mahatma Gandhi for four days during the Champaran Satyagraha in 1917.Similarly, TNB College in Bhagalpur was founded in 1883, although its buildings were completed in 1922.

Patna Medical College (1925), Patna Science College (1927) and Rajendra College in Chapra also have old structures.Although some of these institutions have undergone urgent repairs in recent years, none has been retrofitted.Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) vice-chairman Uday Kant Mishra said retrofitting of old government buildings at most district headquarters is already underway as per state government directives. The authority has also conducted quantitative assessment and rapid visual screening of selected older structures in collaboration with IIT Patna.However, BSDMA has not received any proposal for retrofitting from any college or university so far. “We will undertake such work only when the government or the concerned university approaches us,” Mishra said.