Structure built without NOC near Raipur Gate; National Monument Authority orders action
NEW DELHI: A visit to a proposed construction site near 15th-century gateway –Raipur Gate--in Ahmedabad stumped a team of National Monument Authority (NMA) as it found a freshly built two-storey structure already standing at the place for which mandatory ‘no objection certificate’ (NOC) was sought.
The purpose of the visit was to assess whether permission for the construction activities at the plot located in the proximity of the heritage site could be granted.
Upset with the ‘development’, the authority chairman Tarun Vijay, who led the team, initiated disciplinary action against government officials and the owner.
“The case of a property located in the Siddhi Ni Pole area of Ahmedabad near the protected gateway was discussed in the meeting. The Competent Authority (CA) of NMA had already recommended NOC for the construction however the three-member committee observed irregularities. Hence, it was decided to carry out a field visit before issuing a final nod. Vijay along with another member of NMA and local officials of the Archeological Survey of India went to the spot on Thursday. They were shocked to see the structure had already been built at the site though mandatory permission was not given,” said an official.
According to the NMA, Raipur Gate, one of the 18 gates of the fort built around the second half of the 15th century, is a notified national monument.
The fort was built by Ahmad Shah I, who was a ruler of the Muzaffarid dynasty. The citadel was further fortified by Sultan Mahmud Begada, the most prominent Sultan of Gujarat Sultanate. Raipur Gate was in the south-eastern wall and is made of iron-plated timber and stones. It is a three-arch 26 feet high structure with 19 feet width and a roofed platform pierced for three guns.
"As the matter is being investigated, we will soon come to know who else is involved in the wrongdoing," added the official.
Vijay said that it was a blatant violation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act and due disciplinary action would be taken against the wrongdoers who hid the facts.
“The authority was not informed that the ASI had already given show-cause notice to the builder,” he said.
The NMA, which functions under the ministry of culture, was set up for the protection and preservation of monuments and sites. It is mandatory to seek an NOC from the agency to carry out repair, construction or any development work within a 300-metre radius of a protected structure or site.