India's oldest Income Tax office gets makeover

In a city where history whispers from the bricks of every colonial edifice, a new chapter of pride and preservation was written today as the historic Income Tax Office building at 3 Government Place (West) in Kolkata lit up in all its architectural glory.

- RAJIB CHAKRABORTY

The officials said the idea is to attract the attention of visitors to the building and announce its grand presence.

The initiative, officials emphasised, involved: "No structural tampering", reinforcing a commitment to both preservation and progress. Adding deeper resonance to the evening's celebrations was the inauguration of a heritage archive on the building's rooftop—a curated trove of documents, photographs, and narratives tracing the department's historical journey. Unveiled on 23 September 2024 by the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the archive is poised to become a living museum of institutional memory.