World Bank has expressed its willingness to fund and provide consultancy services for preservation of early 20th century Silk Factory building at Solina here as a heritage site in Srinagar.
A senior government official informed that during a recent meeting of visiting World Bank technical mission team headed by lead risk management specialist Deepak Singh, with government officials led by principal secretary, planning development and monitoring, Rohit Kansal expressed their willingness on behalf of WB to help the state government in preserving the Solina factory.
“The World Bank team had visited the Solina factory and were impressed by its potential as a heritage site. The historical architecture of the buildings amid towering Chinars had left an impression on the minds of the visiting team after which they even offered to provide consultancy services to the state government for development of the building as a heritage site.”
The World Bank team sees huge potential in this heritage site as a recreational place for Srinagar, he said. “They said that there is huge potential of this site from both architectural as well as recreational value.”
Silk Factory site houses a dozen more buildings flawlessly placed in between large open spaces separated by variety of mulberry trees planted to give an effect of long avenues within the gardens.
The World Bank team was on three day visit to Kashmir, to review the progress of work of Rs 1500 crore loan for infrastructure upgradation in Health, Housing and Urban Development, Education, Industries, Disaster Management and Road Connectivity sectors in J&K.
Though, after thirty years, industries and commerce department has resumed operation at Silk factory, however the buildings continue to be in dilapidated condition.
Over the years, Public Service Commission has unsympathetically constructed monstrous and hideous buildings and compound walls that bifurcate one of the buildings, hence playing havoc with the originality of these monumental structures and destroying and tampering with its overall milieu.
The architectural design has successfully stood the test of time for more than a century withstanding earthquakes, extreme weather conditions and recently devastating floods standing erect and firm on ground and yet calling for attention of public to preserve the heritage and learn from its architectural glory and structural stability of the Silk Factory buildings for future developments.
Silk factory was established in 1897 with the help of Sir Thomas Wardle, President, Silk Association of Great Britain, who was impressed by the high quality of silk yarn of Kashmir.
In the year 1897 the Directorate of Sericulture was established under the Directorship of C W Walton who had enough experience in sericulture. Improved variety of Silk seeds were imported from Italy and were distributed free of cost to the rearers and the cocoons were sent to England for reeling and weaving.
In 1898 two filatures were erected at Rambagh, Srinagar and these increased from time to time. By 1907 eight filatures had been setup which were providing direct employment to around 5000 people and was considered as one of the largest concern of its kind.
The Silk industry by 1909 offered employment to 60,000 people and silk worth 10,000 pounds was produced. The profits of industry went up from 3.06 lakhs in 1902 to 12.5 lakhs in 1919. Hydro-electric power was used in reeling silk in 1908. Subsequently, the Raj Bagh Silk Factory was set up in 1937. By 1942 Kashmir had the largest Silk Factory in the world. It produced the finest silk in India and its silk was selling throughout British Empire.