Ground Zero: Debris scattered at the place where the Mairie once stood. | Photo Credit: T.Singaravelou more-in The Puducherry government plans to include the Mairie, the iconic 19th century landmark on the Beach promenade, as one of the components in its five independent proposals as part of the Smart City initiative. “The Mairie was an important symbol of French rule. Locals are emotionally attached to this building and are keen that the building is rebuilt to recreate the original structure,” said a top Government official. The building, which housed the Mayor’s office, had functioned for over a century as the hub of municipal administration. It hosted cultural shows and marriage receptions, and for four years from 1964, housed the Legislative Assembly of Puducherry. It was also inside The Mairie that the first bid at ushering in democracy for Puducherry was made during 1870-1900 long before the first general elections were held in British India. Considered a symbol of French colonial power, the French named the premises as Hotel De Ville, which housed the office of Mayor of Pondicherry, the local Assembly, the Municipal Council, the Registry and other offices, including the office of Registrar of Births and Deaths. Nehru’s address The building housed the Legislative Assembly of Puducherry for four years from 1964 (when the first general election was held in the wake of de jure transfer of power) before the Assembly was shifted to the present premises in 1969. It was in this building that the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the extraordinary session of the Puducherry Representative Assembly on October 4, 1955.

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