A group of citizens concerned about rampant destruction of architecturally beautiful houses in Kolkata have proposed that a portal be set up for alerting buyers and sellers about properties that will be bought for use or conversion, and not to be destroyed. A domain name has already been blocked for the portal.

Writer Amit Chaudhuri has been spearheading a campaign to protect 20th century houses in neighbourhoods like Bhowanipore, Dover Lane, Hindustan Park and Southern Avenue in south Kolkata; Ekbalpore and Kidderpore in south-west and BK Paul Avenue and Ahiritola in the north.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen had lent support to the cause and several prominent citizens, including economists Pranab Bardhan, Kaushik Basu and Esther Duflo, architect Partha Ranjan Das, Intach convenor GM Kapur, artists Jogen Chowdhury and Chittrovanu Majumdar and film director Aparna Sen had signed a petition to the CM, seeking immediate intervention to stop the rampage.

Over the past decade-and-a-half, hundreds of aesthetically pleasing houses have been torn down to make way for multi-storied apartments. In the process, several localities have been stripped of their character.

"Some owners are unable to maintain the houses and want to sell out. There are others who wish they had such houses and are willing to buy. But due to a disconnect between the two, the house goes to a builder who then demolishes it. The portal will help the seller connect with buyers who appreciate architecture. They can be lived in, converted into apartments, shops, offices or hotels, or even centres of culture and innovative museums," explained Chaudhuri.