One buffer rule, different threats: Nizamuddin, Uggar Sain's Baoli expose Delhi's heritage drama

One buffer rule, different threats: Nizamuddin, Uggar Sain's Baoli expose Delhi's heritage drama

New Delhi, From a historic drain under pressure from a flyover at Nizamuddin to foundation digging threatening an underground water structure at Uggar Sain's Baoli, Delhi's protected monuments face sharply different risks, despite being governed by the same fixed heritage buffer rules, an IIT Roorkee study has found.

One buffer rule, different threats: Nizamuddin, Uggar Sain's Baoli expose Delhi's heritage drama

Published in March this year, the study examined nine centrally protected monuments in Delhi and found that the nature and severity of threats vary depending on the specific context of each monument. This suggests that heritage protection should take into account the unique features and vulnerabilities of individual sites.

Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Amendment and Validation Act, centrally protected monuments have a 100-metre prohibited area followed by a 200-metre regulated area. The study examined whether such fixed boundaries adequately reflect the different urban contexts surrounding monuments.

At the Nizamuddin Basti group of monuments, the Barapullah Drain, described as an old tributary, was identified as a key natural feature. The study found that large-scale infrastructure, including a flyover, was putting pressure on the drain and affecting the area's natural drainage, with the impact assessed as long-term and irreversible.

The study also flagged encroachment and insensitive development around the Nizamuddin monuments as a high-priority threat, saying changes in the surrounding land-use pattern could have long-term and irreversible impacts on the heritage setting.

In the case of Uggar Sain's Baoli, the primary threat arises from below-ground construction. The research identified the baoli's water-retaining structure as its most crucial natural feature and found that underground digging for building foundations poses a constant and irreversible threat to it.

Furthermore, high-rise development around the baoli could affect the monument's visibility. The site's surroundings include planned streets and tree-lined pedestrian paths, underscoring the important relationship between the monument and its open spaces, the study said.

Hauz Khas presents a different challenge. The study showed that most buildings surrounding the monument are already within the 100-metre prohibited area, while a significant part of the 200-metre regulated area remains undeveloped. The area is characterised by commercial activities, including restaurants and bars, making it difficult to impose uniform distance-based restrictions in such an urbanised setting.

The study pointed out that these conditions raise questions about how prohibited-area regulations can be enforced when construction is already present. It suggested the need for more precise controls based on local conditions, including building height and facade design, as well as a rational approach to demarcating heritage boundaries.

The researchers also identified regulatory overlap as a problem. Heritage protection in Delhi involves central, state and local agencies, with overlapping mandates and conflicting provisions, including between master plans and heritage bye-laws, making accountability unclear, according to the study.

Out of the nine monuments examined, only four have officially notified heritage bye-laws, while the other five are still in the draft or consultation stage, it mentioned.

The study noted that all experts interviewed considered buffer zones necessary to protect heritage sites. However, eight out of ten believed that alternatives to blanket protection based solely on fixed distances should be explored to maintain the integrity of the monuments.

To address these concerns, the study proposed a Value-Based Priority Matrix, which assesses threats based on their probability, duration, and reversibility, linking them to the specific attributes and cultural values of each monument.

The study concluded that while existing heritage legislation remains necessary, applying the same fixed buffer approach to differently situated monuments can overlook site-specific threats.

It recommended incorporating value-based and context-sensitive tools into heritage bye-laws and planning frameworks.

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