Nizamuddin gazette

A consortium of official organisations,including the Archaeological Survey of India and city bodies,has entered a public-private partnership for the urban renewal of Delhis Nizamuddin area. Drawing on the experience of old city redevelopments in mega-cities like Cairo,the project aims to reintegrate three hubs in the neighbourhood,Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti,Humayuns Tomb and Sunder Nursery,for better conservation and better quality of life for residents. The neighbourhood,rich in pilgrimage destinations and Mughal architecture,is a fine example of living heritage by its inhabitants,who draw visitors to bustling bazaars,shrines and restaurants. The challenge is to reconcile the older and area-specific rhythms of the neighbourhood with a forward-looking revamp of community facilities and public spaces. The project has announced itself up to the task,and the experience could be a learning curve for other historic quarters.

As our cities expand,its inevitable that the centres of gravity will shift from the old quarters. And this has tended to happen in more ways than just social and economic activity given the urban sprawls,the political clout of the old cities has diminished a great deal,especially after the fresh delimitation of constituencies. Almost serendipitously,however,other trends have served to reconnect the old cities to the new. In Delhi,for instance,the Metro collapsed distances to Chandni Chowk,giving Delhiites a way to cut through the congestion,thereby making its traditional eateries and traders more economically viable and,in turn,giving locals stakes in an urban makeover.

Old cities are not just clusters of heritage structures,and enlightened conservation is based on enhancing the quality of life of inhabitants in a way that celebrates interaction between them and visitors,whether tourists or residents in the wider metropolis.