Heritage rank for city: INTACH to ink draft dossier

The Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) on Sunday announced it would come up with a draft dossier for the World Heritage City status for the national capital.

The Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) on Sunday announced it would come up with a draft dossier for the World Heritage City status for the national capital.

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The development comes two years after INTACH, a not-for-profit organisation working in the field of conservation, signed an MoU with the Delhi government in 2008.

The brainstorming was held during the international conference on the ‘Conservation of Shahjahanabad and Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone (LBZ)’ wherein a cross section of experts ranging from conservationists, urban planners, government representatives and heritage lovers discussed the contrasting conservation imperatives for the growing metropolis.

Prof K.T. Ravindran, chairperson of Delhi Urban Arts Commission spoke about points to consider while strategizing conservation.

INTACH Delhi chapter chief A G K Menon said even when the two areas — Shahjahanabad and Lutyen’s Delhi — are contrast in nature, there are basic similarities. “One is the process and the second is defining significance (of a particular content) of that area.”

Architect and Urban Designer Rajat Ray, who spoke on ‘A Short Encounter With Ballimaran’ observed, “Such areas should not be looked at from the point of view of certain pre-determined ideas of heritage or even perhaps compared to ostensibly similar places elsewhere in the world.”

Charles Lutyens, descendent of Edwin Lutyens, who designed New Delhi, said the status of World Heritage City would help Delhi “raise its prestige internationally” and “help protect the cultural heritage of the city.”

In the concluding session, the participants came up with recommendations and suggestions after which it was decided to come up with a draft dossier in six months, admittedly a target not likely to be met.