Take 5: ‘You put heritage tag on my home… at least ask me’

On September 22, at a workshop organised by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, haveli owners in Old Delhi expressed their concerns over the ‘heritage’ tag accorded to their properties. Hasan, who owns a three-storey haveli in Chawdi Bazar, says owners only stand to lose due to the heritage tag.

Hasan at his haveli which faces Jama Masjid. (Express photo)

When was your house declared a heritage structure?

This haveli was built between 1890 and 1900. My father bought it about 60 years ago. Currently, I am the sole owner of this building. I have no idea when the corporation declared it a heritage structure. I got to know about it only a couple of months ago, when they (corporation) published a new list of 300 heritage buildings. They publish these lists on their own, conduct workshops. They should at least inform the owners.

What is the benefit of a heritage tag?

There is no benefit. The corporation doesn’t even give permission to carry out renovation or repair work. Earlier, there was a dhaba on the ground floor and a guest-house on the first floor. We shut down both since the building urgently needed repairs. But the corporation didn’t give us permission for repairs. I am now only painting the outer wall of the building. While I spend thousands to maintain it every month, I get no income from it.

What are the problems you face?

Aap mere ghar ke upar ek plate laga ke ja rahe ho, mujhse toh pooch lo (If you are putting the heritage tag on the wall of my home, at least ask me). While the municipal corporation encourages us through such initiatives, it also ties our hands by not allowing us to carry out even minor repairs. If a private building is being notified as a heritage structure (without the approval of the owner), the authorities should give us some incentives. I have heard that they will provide some financial support in the form of loans etc, but nothing has happened so far.

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Do you plan to restart the guest-house and the dhaba?

I have to first repair the house. And to restart these businesses, I have to apply for numerous licences — corporation, heritage (division), National Green Tribunal, police, fire and water departments. Aap kaam kar rahe hain ya zulm kar rahe hain (Are you working to make our lives easier or punishing us)? Now they have asked us to treat water before it flows into the sewerage. Those who don’t own the ground floor, where will they put up the water treatment plant?

Did you attend the workshop organised in the Town Hall?

I was not informed about the event. If the corporation had sent some correspondence or invitation, I would have gone. They merely provided information about the event in newspapers.

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