Kolkata’s iconic Writers’ Buildings, the historic red edifice that served as the nerve centre of governance in West Bengal for decades, is poised to reclaim its status as the state secretariat as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly decided that its Chief Minister will not function from Nabanna, the administrative headquarters used during the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government.
According to senior government officials, the nearly 250-year-old Writers’ Buildings, once synonymous with political power in Bengal, is set to once again become the principal seat of governance in the state after years of administrative inactivity.
The decision is being viewed not merely as an administrative shift but also as a symbolic political move aimed at reconnecting governance with Bengal’s historic institutional legacy.
BJP Plans Return to Historic Seat of Power
Sources in the state administration said the BJP leadership has made it clear that the new Chief Minister would not operate from Nabanna, the 14-storey building at Shibpur in Howrah that became the headquarters of the Mamata Banerjee administration after 2013.
Instead, the party is preparing to restore Writers’ Buildings as the official secretariat of the West Bengal government.
A senior government official said that the transition process has already informally begun and discussions are underway regarding the logistical and infrastructural arrangements required before the complete relocation can take place.
According to the official, until the remaining restoration and maintenance work at Writers’ Buildings is fully completed, the new Chief Minister is likely to function temporarily from the annex building of the West Bengal Assembly.
However, the official clarified that no final administrative order has yet been issued regarding the interim arrangement.
Emergency Meeting Held Over Assembly Annex Proposal
Sources said Chief Secretary Dushmanta Narial recently held an emergency meeting with Assembly Secretary Samarendra Nath Das to discuss the proposal and assess the feasibility of temporarily operating the Chief Minister’s Office from the Assembly annex building.
A senior Assembly official confirmed that preparations have already been initiated following instructions from higher authorities.
“We have been asked to keep the annex building ready and examine all infrastructural requirements, including security arrangements and administrative functionality,” the official said.
The developments indicate that the government is moving swiftly to ensure a smooth transition once the political and administrative formalities are completed.
End of the Nabanna Era?
Nabanna became the administrative headquarters of West Bengal during the Trinamool Congress regime under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Initially, after coming to power in 2011, Mamata Banerjee had briefly operated from Writers’ Buildings. However, within two years, the state administration was shifted to Nabanna, a modern high-rise structure located in Shibpur, Howrah.
Interestingly, officials point out that Nabanna was originally constructed for a project linked to the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners and was not initially conceived as a permanent state secretariat.
Over time, however, it evolved into the operational centre of the state government under the Trinamool Congress administration.
Now, with the BJP preparing to form the government, the party appears determined to reverse that decision and restore the historical administrative identity associated with Writers’ Buildings.
A Building Steeped in Bengal’s Political and Colonial History
Writers’ Buildings is one of the most historically significant administrative structures in India and occupies a central place in Bengal’s political and colonial history.
The majestic three-storey red building was constructed in 1780 by Thomas Lyon, a self-styled architect and builder, and was designed in the neoclassical style featuring imposing Corinthian columns.
Originally, the building served as a boarding and working facility for junior clerks of the British East India Company, who were known as “Writers.” This eventually gave the structure its famous name — Writers’ Buildings.
Later, under Governor-General Warren Hastings, the complex was transformed into an administrative headquarters, gradually evolving into the centre of British governance in Bengal.
Over the decades, additional structures were added to the complex, turning it into one of the most recognisable government establishments in eastern India.
Site of Revolutionary History
Beyond its administrative importance, Writers’ Buildings also occupies a revered place in India’s freedom struggle.
The building witnessed one of the most dramatic revolutionary actions during the anti-colonial movement when freedom fighters Benoy Basu, Badal Gupta, and Dinesh Gupta launched a daring attack inside the premises in December 1930.
During the operation, Lt Col N.S. Simpson, the Inspector General of Prisons known for allegedly subjecting Indian freedom fighters to brutal torture in jail, was shot dead.
The incident became one of the defining moments of Bengal’s revolutionary movement and immortalised the names of Benoy, Badal and Dinesh in the history of India’s independence struggle.
Even today, the nearby Dalhousie Square area bears their legacy through the name B.B.D. Bagh.
Seat of Bengal’s Power for More Than Six Decades
After India attained independence in 1947, Writers’ Buildings formally became the seat of power of the West Bengal government.
From the first Chief Minister of West Bengal, Prafulla Chandra Ghosh of the Congress, to CPI(M) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, every Chief Minister governed the state from Writers’ Buildings for more than six decades.
The building remained the political and administrative heart of Bengal through multiple political eras, including Congress rule, Left Front dominance and major historical transitions in the state.
It was only after Mamata Banerjee came to power in 2011 that the state secretariat eventually shifted to Nabanna.
Symbolic Political Message Behind BJP’s Decision
Political observers believe the BJP’s decision to shift governance back to Writers’ Buildings carries a deeper symbolic message.
The move is being interpreted as an attempt to associate the new administration with Bengal’s historical administrative legacy while also distinguishing itself from the Trinamool Congress era represented by Nabanna.
Party insiders indicate that the BJP leadership sees Writers’ Buildings not just as an office complex but as a symbol of institutional continuity, governance authority and Bengal’s political identity.
Restoring the iconic structure as the seat of governance is also expected to resonate emotionally with many Bengalis who continue to associate Writers’ Buildings with the state’s political history and administrative tradition.
With restoration work nearing completion and preparations already underway, the iconic red building appears set to once again become the centre of power in West Bengal after more than a decade.
