Patna, Jul 8 (PTI) District Board authorities here have written to the Bihar government seeking immediate shifting of a rare over a century-old steam road roller built by a British company and other antique artifacts from the Collectorate campus to the Patna Museum, even as a large portion of the Dutch-era building housing the items has been demolished.The vintage steam road roller, manufactured by John Fowler and Co, Leeds, England is currently languishing in an open area in front of the historic District Engineer"s Office building situated on the banks of the Ganga river, whose elongated east wing was demolished on July 3 to make way for the new collectorate complex."District Board Patna had several weeks ago written to the Bihar government"s art and culture department requesting them to shift the old road roller and other vintage items owned by the Board as they might get damaged or lost in the demolition process," said Kumari Stuti, Chairperson of the Board."Soon after the demolition of the old, historic buildings began in the Patna Collectorate campus in May, we had decided to offer those artifacts to the museum so they could be preserved for the future generations," Stuti said.A senior official of the Patna Museum said in response to the letter sent by the District Board, a letter has been received by the museum from the art and culture department recently."As per the instructions from the department, a team will soon visit the Patna Collectorate campus for an official inspection of the road roller and other vintage items like an old wall clock, mentioned in the Board"s letter. And, then steps will be taken accordingly," he said. District Board officials on Friday appealed to the Bihar government authorities to ensure shifting of these heritage artifacts at the earliest as the remaining portion of the Dutch-era District Engineer"s Office building may be dismantled anytime. "The old road roller is a very unique heritage as it was powered by steam and used for making roads by the District Board. It has to be saved for the current generation and the coming generations. We hope the Patna Museum authorities will do the needful before the rest of the building is brought down," a senior official of the Board said. District Board Patna as an institution was set up in 1886. District Engineer of the Board used to sit in this old building, lending it its name. A beautiful, vintage ceramic plate is also embedded on the top of the southern facade of the District Engineer"s Office Building. Bulldozers on July 3 had dismantled a large portion of the District Engineer"s Office Building as part of a redevelopment project, on a day a group of citizens had gathered in the city near the Collectorate complex to discuss ways to save the threatened Sultan Palace and other heritage buildings from demolition in future. On May 13 this year, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea by heritage body INTACH, which was fighting a legal battle since 2019 to save the historic landmark from demolition, paving the way for the demolition of the Patna Collectorate complex.Demolition had started the very next day, and 1938-built District Board Patna Building was the first to receive the blows of the bulldozers.The historic structure, located next to the District Engineer"s Office Building, and endowed with ornamental pilaster Corinthian columns in its iconic Meeting Hall, was pulled down by May 17, as also the centuries-old Land Requisition Office Building in the sprawling 12-acre complex.The Dutch-era Record Room Building, which had high ceilings, massive doors and very old and unique skylights on roof, was also razed on May 17.A very small portion on the frontage has been spared so far, as the Record Room office is still occupying it.British-era Patna District Magistrate"s office building, which was also part of the Collectorate campus, and featured in key scenes in Oscar-winning film "Gandhi" was demolished about two week ago, symbolically bringing an era to an end. The road roller along with the old buildings in the campus, were popularised by the "Save Historic Patna Collectorate", a citizen-led initiative that was fighting to save the Collectorate since the demolition was proposed early 2016, through its heritage walks. After demolition began on May 14, its representatives had again appealed to authorities to rescue these two and other historic artifacts lying on the campus, such as the hanging skylight in a room of the District Engineer"s Office building, an old wall clock, a safety vault and a heritage printing press machine. The printing press was manufactured by Payne & Sons, Otley, Yorkshire, England, a firm established in 19th century.The company is also known for the pioneering Wharfedale printing machines, which had revolutionised the printing industry, making the printing press in possession of the district board Patna authorities "very rare". "We have for the time being shifted the machine to a room in Loknayak Bhawan (owned by the Board) at Dakbungalow Chouraha in Patna. Once we get a new press machine, we will send this vintage press to the Patna Museum too," the Board"s chairperson said.The machine was located in a room in the eastern wing of the District Engineer"s Office building, and the press was shifted before this portion was razed recently. A rare vintage safety vault built by Chubbs company of the UK was embedded in a wall inside the old Registry Office Building, which was completely demolished a few days ago. PTI KND RHL