Ahmedabad: Renovation work has formally begun on the 84-year-old Sheth Mangaldas Girdhardas Memorial Town Hall at Ellisbridge, one of the city’s most prominent cultural landmarks. The restoration follows a recent agreement between the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the UN Mehta (UNM) Foundation, under which the foundation will undertake the restoration, operation and maintenance of the heritage structure for a period of 30 years.A senior AMC official said the project was being funded through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and was aimed at upgrading the facility while preserving its architectural character. Planned improvements include enhanced parking facilities, a food court and the introduction of digital booking systems to make the venue more accessible and user-friendly.The latest phase of renovation comes after earlier interventions by noted architect and Pritzker Prize laureate B V Doshi in the 1960s and by Kamal Mangaldas in the late 1990s. The current project will be overseen by a 16-member committee and is intended to restore the hall in keeping with the original design envisioned by its architect, while ensuring it continues to function as a key venue for cultural and civic events in the city.Completed in 1940, the town hall was built as a memorial to industrialist Sheth Mangaldas, with funds contributed by the citizens of Ahmedabad. Designed in the Art Deco style by English architect Claude Batley (1879–1956), the building remains an important example of early 20th century public architecture in the city.Batley, who arrived in India in 1913, played a significant role in shaping modern architecture in the country and served as principal of Mumbai’s JJ School of Art for two decades. His notable works include Bombay Central Station (1930), Bombay Gymkhana (1917), Jinnah House (1935), Wakaner House (1933) and Breach Candy Hospital (1950), while in Gujarat his legacy is marked by the Lalbhai House and the Ellisbridge Town Hall itself.
