Heritage structures: Hearings on new list likely in October

“The panel members will include architects,structural engineers and experts in history. The proposal on the panel’s composition is yet to be approved by the BMC commissioner. We are likely to hold the hearings in a month,” a senior civic official said Thursday.

After the hearings,the panel will prepare a report that will be submitted to the state government. Subsequently,the final list will be notified.

Members of Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC),however,fear that the panel might suit builders’ interests more than those of heritage conservationists.

“We are concerned over the review panel as several members who have been finalised are architects and structural engineers who are not experienced in heritage conservation and hence are not fit to hold the hearings,” said an MHCC member.

The hearings are expected to bring closure to 2,000-odd citizens and groups across the city,who have contributed to the list framed by MHCC in 2008.

Although BMC published the proposed heritage list four years later on July 31,2012,it was not clear,until recently,whether the state government or BMC would conduct the hearings.

In the interim,the civic body approved redevelopment plans for several proposed heritage properties,leading to the destruction of an unidentified number of proposed grade-III heritage structures and precincts in the city. Some of these contentious projects are in proposed heritage precincts such as Willingdon Colony,Khotachiwadi,Shivaji Park,Bandra Village and Marine Drive precincts.

On account of the delay,aggrieved citizens from Shivaji Park heritage precinct had also filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court in July this year,asking the court to disregard the new list altogether.

After a letter from advocate general (AG) Daraius Khambatta last month,however,the civic body has halted all development activities at these structures and precincts,until a no-objection certificate (NOC) is obtained from MHCC.

“Through this review panel propped up by builders,the corporation could legalise all approved redevelopment plans that have been halted by the AG’s letter because they don’t have an NOC from MHCC. The panel,which will submit a report to the state,might strike off the heritage properties where development activity is already under way. Thus,a number of heritage properties will disappear,” alleged another MHCC member.

alison.saldanha@expressindia.com

Curated For You

Dhurandhar Box Office Collection Worldwide Day 17 Update: Ranveer Singh is 2025’s highest earning Indian film worldwide, storms past Kantara Chapter 1 with Rs 857 cr

PM Modi says Congress would have let ‘Assam go to East Pakistan’: What was the 1946 plan; what Nehru, Gandhi said then

Dhruv Rathee slams Dhurandhar as ‘false propaganda’, switches off comments as actors defend film: ‘That was India’s situation’