The Assam cabinet today (Oct 29) formally approved the decision to buy Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s house in Kolkata and will spend Rs 1.7 crore in completing the purchase formalities with the present owner while also earmarking Rs 25 lakh for necessary renovation work of the house.
This was announced by Assam Finance, Health and PWD Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after a meeting of the Assam cabinet.
The cabinet also decided to buy the property of Dr Hazarika at Kuthori in Nagaon district that will be converted into a State heritage as per an earlier decision of the State cabinet.
It may be mentioned that Cultural Affairs Minister Naba Kumar Doley and Chief Minister’s media advisor Hrishikesh Goswami had earlier visited Kolkata so as to complete the formalities of purchasing the property on behalf of the Assam government.
The house at Golf Club Road in Tollygunge was the balladeer’s first residence in Kolkata after he shifted base in 1952. He reportedly bought the house in 1981 after living there for three decades but sold it to Sushil Kumar Dangi in the later half of the 1990s.
The Assam Government plans to redevelop the iconic house where Dr Hazarika composed many famous songs into a memorial.
