In a major jolt to the UT administration, the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has suspended its three ambitious projects at the Capitol Complex in Sector 1 for impacting the overall universal value (OUV) of the UNESCO world heritage site.
These three projects include an underground multi-level parking lot; holistic development plan for Punjab and Haryana high court; and an AC chiller plant.
UNESCO defines OUV as cultural and/or natural significance that is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity. As such, the permanent protection of this heritage is of the highest importance to the international community as a whole.
Designed by Le Corbusier, Capitol Complex features three pillars of democracy – legislature, executive and judiciary – standing together.
A prime manifestation of Chandigarh’s architecture, with the Shivalik hills in the backdrop, the Capitol Complex comprises the Open Hand monument, Punjab and Haryana high court, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, the legislative assembly and the secretariat.
The decision to suspend the three projects came at a recent meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, which consists of members from around the world.
{{/usCountry}}The decision to suspend the three projects came at a recent meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, which consists of members from around the world.
{{/usCountry}}The committee’s draft decision, forwarded to the Union ministry of culture and subsequently to the Chandigarh administration, asserts that these projects, undertaken and commissioned by the local administration, are adversely affecting the OUV of the UNESCO site and should be suspended.
A senior UT officer, involved in the projects, said in its communication to the ministry of culture, the committee stated that these projects did not qualify for the heritage impact assessment and did not comply with the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) guidelines.
The officer added that they will be writing back to the ministry to review the matter.
Though UNESCO does not provide any funds to the Union territory, it provides technical assistance for conservation and preservation of the buildings at the complex. UNESCO frequently reviews the site and if UT fails to maintain its upkeep, the body can delete it from the heritage status list.
The projects in a nutshell
Underground multilevel parking lot
As per the layout plan, a multi-level basement parking with three underground floors was proposed for the heavy footfall at the high court. In the first phase the parking lot was to have space for over 2,800 cars. In the second phase, installation of stacks was proposed to accommodate 5,000 cars. The ground level of the parking lot was planned as a green area.
Holistic development of high court complex
The proposal envisaged setting up of multi-storey buildings to cater to the requirement of additional space, as over 10,000 lawyers, 3,300 court employees and a large number of litigants visit the court on a daily basis, apart from inflow of around 10,000 cars and thousands of two-wheelers.
AC chiller plant
The UT administration had proposed to construct an AC chiller plant to replace the window and split AC units, aiming to provide a cleaner appearance to the Capitol Complex.