Having dilly-dallied for years on whether to apply for Chandigarhs inclusion in the list of UNESCOs World Heritage Sites,the UT Administration is now set to prepare its case for the same. The administration will prepare a dossier highlighting the citys architecture and planning. While in 2006,the Administration had prepared a dossier,it failed to cut any ice with the Union Ministry of Culture the nodal ministry that nominates sites,which are sent to the UNESCO. Since then,the Administration has failed to present its case and no concrete steps were taken in this direction. The Administration will be writing to the Ministry of Culture for the purpose. It is expected that a fresh dossier will be prepared to present Chandigarhs case forcefully. Chief Architect Sumit Kaur said the Administration is set to take up the issue of getting Chandigarh included in the UNESCO heritage list. Chandigarhs case is believed to be fit for inclusion in the category of modern heritage. Planned by French architect Le Corbusier,the city has several buildings designed by him and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret. While these have been generating interest across the world,over the years,the buildings have witnessed a lot of changes. A dossier was prepared in 2006 by Dr Kiran Joshi,who was then a faculty member of Chandigarh College of Architecture. However,there were problems from the Union Ministry of Culture side and the case was never put before the UNESCO. While attempts were made later,these never succeeded. In 2008,the Administration was set to submit its dossier when the Archaeological Survey of India asked for concurrence to be taken from Punjab and Haryana governments. The buildings designed by Corbusier,including the Secretariat and the Assembly,are being used by the governments of the two states. The approval was never received. A debate was later held on whether a growing city like Chandigarh should be given a heritage status as this would cause problems for further development. It was decided that heritage status could be sought for a part of the city or buildings designed by Corbusier and Jeanneret instead of the entire city. Later,the Administration prepared a report on giving heritage status of different grades to buildings and areas in the city. The report has been approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Under this,the Capitol Complex fall under grade I while the buildings designed by his associates in grade II. Several heritage zones have also been earmarked. Among the problems that could be encountered in preparing Chandigarhs case is the widespread violations that have crept into the buildings designed by Corbusier. The buildings,which not under the control of Chandigarh but are used by Punjab and Haryana governments,the Administration has had little control over the changes made. While the interiors of the Secretariat and the Assembly have been refurbished,the balconies have been covered. Some of the monuments designed by Corbusier are also lying incomplete. M N Sharma,the first Indian Chief Architect of the city,said: I do not know what stopped the process of presenting the case for Chandigarh at the UNESCO. I had met UNESCO officials two years ago and they were keen that Chandigarhs case be presented. Some violations have crept in. Due to the conversion policy,commercial activity has been allowed in the Industrial Area. This has tampered with the basic character of the city, he added.
