Delhi inks pact with Intach to maintain heritage sites

The Delhi Govt signed a MOu with Intach for upkeep of heritage sites and monuments in the city. The agency has been roped in by the Govt to help project Delhi as a World Heritage City, reports HT Correspondent.

The Delhi government on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with Intach for upkeep of heritage sites and monuments in the city. The agency has been roped in by the government to help project Delhi as a World Heritage City.

HT Image

Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) is a nodal agency engaged in preserving unprotected monuments.

Delhi has over 300 recognised monuments and heritage sites from different historical eras – from the Delhi sultanate to the Mughal era to the Raj.

Intach chairman SK Mishra said that the agency would help develop historical sites in the capital to enable it to be declared a heritage city by the UNESCO.

The state government has also decided to set up a Heritage Task Force headed by the chief minister.

The 22-member body will have the chief minister as chairperson, while the chief secretary will be the member secretary.

Intach will also assist the government in formulating heritage-related architectural and urban design schemes and policies, formulate a comprehensive scheme for beautification and illumination of monuments during the Commonwealth Games.

“It will also facilitate the applications to be made by the government to UNESCO for the encryption of Delhi as a World Heritage City, undertake conservation related works and projects assigned by the Delhi government,” said an official.

"The government has granted us the Heritage Route Project under which Intach will develop the area between Red Fort and Humayun tomb," Mishra added.

The government plans to run heritage buses along the route that will be a window to the city’s historical past for visitors.