Heritage panel freezes nod for redevelopment of sites on list

Amidst reports that almost 500 of the 948 heritage structures in the draft list prepared by the heritage committee may have got a nod for redevelopment from the civic body, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) decided in a meeting on Friday that henceforth, no such approvals will be granted without its consent.

Amidst reports that almost 500 of the 948 heritage structures in the draft list prepared by the heritage committee may have got a nod for redevelopment from the civic body, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) decided in a meeting on Friday that henceforth, no such approvals will be granted without its consent.

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Owing to the procedure involved, the list may be finalised only by next year, and the six-year delay in making it public has already cost the city a large chunk of its heritage.

“We will examine the legal aspects of granting permission to structures on the proposed heritage list,” said V Ranga-nathan, chairperson, MHCC.

A committee member said: “Residents and developers might take hasty steps to speed up redevelopment in a bid to be left out of the final list.”

The move, however, has not gone down well with those who feel the proposed heritage tag to their structures has been arbitrary, and robs them of redevelopment privileges.