E-Paper
Once Pune’s pride, its old wadas now pose a problem for residents
That Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday spoke about approaching the ASI to consider the request of the residents of these wadas to redevelop them assumes special significance against this backdrop
PUNE: Once the pride of Pune, several old and dilapidated wadas in the vicinity of national heritage monuments such as Shaniwarwada are now battling for survival as there is no scope for their restructuring or redevelopment, given that construction of any sort within 100 metres of a heritage site protected under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is prohibited by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Ordinance, 2010.
That Pune guardian minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday spoke about approaching the ASI to consider the request of the residents of these wadas to redevelop them assumes special significance against this backdrop. Patil promised to call a meeting with ASI officials to discuss the issue of these old and dilapidated wadas. Earlier, he visited some of the wadas around Shaniwarwada and heard the residents’ woes. Most of them said that they could not repair or renovate their homes due to the ASI rules. The state government had recently allowed renovations inside the wadas, leading to additional rooms being created within these battered structures and/or spaces being put up for rent or being converted into shops.
Saurabh Pawar, member of the Shaniwarwada Action Committee, said that there are around 350 to 400 such wadas around Shaniwarwada that fall under the ASI rules. “After the meeting with Patil, we are planning to call a meeting with ASI officials in which we plan to invite members of all political parties. The issue of these old wadas is serious as the repair work being carried out in some cases is inadequate and most wadas might crumble any time. We also plan to take along the grievances of those living in the vicinity of the Pataleshwar Caves and Aga Khan Palace,” said Pawar.
One of the locals living in one of the wadas around Shaniwarwada said, “All of us here are tenants paying a rent of Rs100 for a one-bedroom-kitchen. The building is half the size of what it originally was as it has started falling apart. The owner has given us the liberty to renovate our houses on our own.”
Whereas Sunil Mohite of the Pune Municipal Corporation’s Heritage Department said, “The PMC is ready to help in any possible way as soon as we get a nod from the ASI.”
While ASI officials on Tuesday said that they have already given permission for minor repair work in these wadas, residents want approval for redevelopment. Asked if the ASI has any plans to allow redevelopment of these old wadas, an official requesting anonymity said, “There is a rule that prevents any major revamp or redevelopment within 100 metres of national heritage sites. In the absence of any fresh orders from the central government regarding the same, we cannot do anything.”
There’s a lot that needs to be considered by the Centre and ASI when it comes to the issue of these wadas. While national monuments are of the utmost importance, the safety and wellbeing of the residents of these wadas is equally important; their problems must be resolved at the earliest.
