HC multi-level parking hits heritage hurdle

Monday, Oct 26, 2009

A multi-level parking lot for Delhi High Court lawyers coming up next to the National Stadium has run into trouble with NDMC's heritage wing. The civic agency says it is likely to stop the ongoing construction work as a heritage structure a 16th century tomb stands right in the middle of the frenzied construction activity. Now that listed NDMC heritage sites have been notified, any development work around these sites require approval of the heritage conservation committee. Officials said it is Delhi High Court which will need to get the approval.

The tomb, dating back to Sher Shah's period, stands on a raised platform at the construction site where DMRC is building the three-storeyed parking lot under a contract agreement with Delhi High Court. A senior NDMC official said: "The land allotee Delhi High Court will have to re-apply for permission to build the parking lot as under the recently notified NDMC heritage list, any redevelopment plans around these listed structures would require approval from the heritage conservation committee. No approvals have been granted here.''

DMRC officials, meanwhile, said that the land was transferred from LNDO to Delhi High Court for construction of a parking lot and they were merely the contractors for the project. "In any case, the monument does not fall in the construction zone,'' said an official. K C Mittal, former president of Delhi High Court Bar Association under whose tenure the parking lot project started, said: "The monument where the parking lot is coming up is unprotected. Both ASI and the central vista committee have given permission for the work so there is no problem. The monument is in a small portion and no one will touch it. The surrounding area will also be beautified. This parking lot is all underground and there is no construction on the surface level.'' Conservationists, however, claimed that with the construction of a three-storeyed underground parking lot, the foundation of the monument could be damaged.

Sources said that Delhi High Court was earlier refused permission for the parking lot by the heritage conservation committee. It did not re-apply. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has given an NOC for the project which falls in the regulated area for the Sher Shah Gate. It has also imposed a condition that the monument has be carefully preserved. "The site is located within 200m of Purana Qila, a regulated zone. We have given permission but put conditions that the monument at the site remains undamaged and the agency constructing the parking lot will conserve the monument under the guidance of ASI if required. Our permission could be withdrawn if any of the terms of our agreement are violated,'' said a senior ASI official.

Interestingly, the monument also figures in the list of monuments to be notified by Delhi government's state department of archaeology. "The monument is yet to be notified and is under process. Notification should be done in the next few weeks. When it was brought to our knowledge that development work is going on near this tomb, we visited the site to ensure that the portion around the monument is kept as it is. A joint meeting will be held with ASI and DMRC in this regard,'' said a senior official from the department. Officials said that they would monitor the work to ensure that adequate distance is kept between the monument and the construction. "Otherwise after the notification, we can take action under the Delhi Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2004,'' said an official.

Original news source http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/HC-multi-level-parking-hits-heritage-hurdle/articleshow/5161422.cms