10-year-long effort saves 65 heritage structures in Delhi
NEW DELHI: A public interest litigation (PIL) in 2005 before the Delhi High Court seeking protection of five heritage structures — gateways and Kos Minar — in Badarpur led to the launch of arguably the biggest and most wide-ranging conservation project for historic sites in Delhi since Independence. While disposing of the petition, the court directed the state archaeology department (SAD) of the Delhi government to initiate efforts for protection and conservation of the structures cited in the petition.
Subsequently, it began a survey of buildings of historic significance, including nationally important monuments, decaying due to negligence by the authorities, and documented them for protection. For the purpose, the department signed a memorandum of understanding with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Inatch) in October 2008 and in November 2012. The efforts have borne fruit as the collaboration helped in safeguarding 65 such buildings in the past decade.
“The department undertook a survey, identified 238 monuments, not part of any list of protected buildings, either of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) or the state archaeology department and documented them. It was decided that they would be conserved in a phased manner. Since then, the department has taken up 19 monuments for repair every year,” said Vikas Maloo, Head of Office (Archaeology) of the Delhi government.
Later, in July 2013, the SAD entered into an agreement with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) to undertake conservation of Sarai of Azim Ganj, located inside the National Zoological Park.Key monuments and buildings restored since 2008 are Mutiny Memorial in Kamala Nehru ridge, Talkatora Garden embankment, Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal in Central ridge near Jhandewalan Metro station, Bada Lao Ka Gumbad in Vasant Kunj, Gol Gumbad (Lodi Road), library of Mughal prince Dara Sikoh at Kashmere Gate, and clusters of ancient structures in Mehrauli Archeological Park — tombs of Quli Khan and Ghiyas ud din Balban, and Rajon Ki Baoli.
Manish Saxena, secretary (arts, culture, and language (AC & L) department), said that the association with Intach and AKTC had helped the government in keeping monuments safe and well-maintained.
“They brought a lot of expertise and knowledge with them, which has resulted in conservation of many significant heritage structures, as in Mehrauli,” she said. The SAD is part of the AC & L department.
Swapna Liddle, convener of the Delhi chapter of Intach, said that the partnership had been fruitful as several structures which were out of the public eye were restored.
“Both parties (Intach and the government) have been benefited with the partnership. In fact, Delhi has been benefited most. Several unprotect structures of national importance not being taken care of by the ASI were identified and conserved,” she said. Until 2008, there were only five heritage buildings, which were mentioned in the PIL, in SAD’s list of protected structures. As several are being restored every year, the department keeps proposing their notification. So far, it has declared 19 ancient properties as protected.
But despite its efforts, it has failed to achieve success on several occasions.
Another official of the Delhi government said that due to opposition from locals, authorities, and encroachment, conservation work at a few sites has to be aborted.
“The work at the 17th-century caravanserai in Mehram Nagar is at a standstill due to a dispute with the Defence Estate Department. Work on the tomb of Ziauddin Rumi in Kalu Sarai is pending because of encroachment. We had prepared a detailed project report for a cluster of structures in Delhi Golf Club, but we were not allowed to proceed. Now, the club management is taking up the work on its own,” he said.