Prayagraj: The long-standing demand for the preservation of Prayagraj’s historic railway buildings gained fresh momentum on Monday after Phulpur Member of Parliament Praveen Patel, along with the heritage representatives, held a high-level meeting with senior Railway Board officials in New Delhi. The meeting was seen as a crucial step towards safeguarding the city’s 165-year-old railway heritage, which is feared to be under increasing threat due to redevelopment and demolition.During the meeting at Rail Bhawan, MP Patel, accompanied by local heritage activist Vaibhav Maini, met executive director (Public Grievances) Vikas Jain and executive director (Heritage) Aashima Mehrotra. The delegation submitted a detailed dossier documenting years of correspondence, expert recommendations, and case studies highlighting the historical and architectural value of several railway-era structures in Prayagraj. Railway officials assured that the concerns raised would be examined at the appropriate level.The renewed push follows sustained advocacy by heritage organisations over several years. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was the first to formally flag the issue, writing to the Railway Board’s Heritage Wing and subsequently organising local discussions. International and national bodies, including the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the Rail Enthusiasts Society, and the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH), later reinforced the demand through written representations to the Railway Board and the Railway Minister. ICOMOS also recommended a structured conservation framework specifically for Prayagraj.Concerns intensified after the demolition of the 144-year-old Loco Workshop, which drew widespread criticism and media attention. Since 2022, local activists kept the issue in focus through repeated meetings with the railway officials.There are four key proposals: preservation of selected heritage railway quarters on Nawab Yusuf Road, incorporation of heritage elements in the façade of the proposed new railway building, revision of the official railway heritage listing for accurate documentation, and adaptive reuse of historic structures such as the old brick chimney by converting them into a museum, tourist centre, or guest house.