October 11, 2025: The uprooting of Manipur’s historical legacy, the ‘Manipur Rajbari’ — also known as the Red Land (Building) — located at Boyce Road in Shillong’s Laitumkhrah area, has recently attracted a labyrinth of questions and a maelstrom of controversy regarding the motive behind the act.
However, the Executive Engineer-I, Planning and Development Authority (PDA), Government of Manipur, issued a clarification this afternoon stating that the structure was dismantled for reconstruction and that “the original architectural design of the building, including the dimensions of the rooms and its height, shall be absolutely maintained during reconstruction.”
It further stated that the building, which was over 80 years old, was in an extremely dilapidated condition due to a lack of timely repairs, and was on the verge of collapse when restoration work first began because of severe weakness in its structural elements. The dismantling of the entire structure was therefore necessary and was carried out manually with due care. The dismantled materials, including wooden doors, windows, and wall plates, have been properly stored for possible reuse.
The statement added that for the purpose of reconstruction and renovation, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) titled “Infrastructure Development of Heritage Complex, Shillong” was prepared at the request of the Department of Art & Culture, Government of Manipur. This DPR was submitted to the North Eastern Council (NEC), Government of India, for approval and funding. After detailed examination, the NEC approved the DPR in July 2023.
One of the main components of the project is the reconstruction and restoration of the Rajbari building, which had become severely dilapidated. The moth-eaten wooden posts, rafters, and purlins, along with leakage of rainwater, had further weakened the structure, the statement said.
