Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Urban Development

Focus on conserving urban heritage

Saturday, 29 August 2009 01:24 administrator
Print PDF

The Hindu 29.08.2009

Focus on conserving urban heritage

 

Urvashi Sarkar

NEW DELHI: In a bid to provide a platform for Indian and international experts to share their experiences in urban planning, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) will hold a seminar on “Heritage and urban renewal” at Jodhpur in Rajasthan from September 2 to 5.

It will aim at continuing from where the Hyderabad conference on “Heritage conservation and urban development” organised by INTACH left off in 2005. That conference had recommended strategies for conservation of urban heritage at the national, State and local levels. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, INTACH Chairman S. K. Misra said: “While the Hyderabad conference was confined to interaction among Indian representatives, the upcoming meet will be attended by representatives from Spain, Turkey, Australia, other countries and also the World Bank. This is an opportunity to interact, build contacts and learn how people are going about urban renewal and heritage conservation in their countries. Also, it will create awareness with regard to heritage among local municipal corporations and development authorities.”

A monumental challenge

Mr. Misra said while the Archaeological Survey of India protects 5,000 monuments nation-wide, there are several other monuments that also need protection. Thus funds should also be granted to other agencies for the upkeep of heritage structures. “There is also a need for a heritage awareness programme involving the youth,” he added. INTACH member-secretary Yogendra Narain said case studies of different cities would be presented at the seminar. Various measures such as setting up of heritage committees in different cities, demolition laws and methods of heritage conservation will be discussed. “We expect to arrive at certain conclusions from the conference which will influence legislation with regard to urban planning. The last Finance Commission granted Rs.6.5 crore for protection of heritage sites. We are trying to persuade the current Finance Commission to expand the grant,” he said. INTACH (Delhi chapter) convenor Prof. A. G. K. Menon said: “The JNNURM has generated a great deal of money for development of infrastructure such as roads. While there is nothing wrong with spending on development, the money should be sensitively spent.”

Last Updated on Saturday, 29 August 2009 01:31
 

Speed up development works under JNNURM, Zagade tells staff

Friday, 28 August 2009 11:11 administrator
Print PDF

Indian Express 28.08.2009

Speed up development works under JNNURM, Zagade tells staff

Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Zagde on Thursday directed the civic staff to speed up the development work being carried out under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), so that new proposals could be sent to the union government for approval.

“There are various development works of roads, sewage treatment and drinking water that are being executed under JNNURM. The departments have been asked to speed up the work and deadlines have been set for completion of each project,” Zagade told reporters.

He said that the departments have been asked to prepare detailed proposals for new development projects that can be executed in the city for upgrading the infrastructure. “Once 90 per cent work of the existing projects are complete, the new proposals would be pushed for the approval from union government,” Zagade said.

The slum rehabilitation projects under Basic Services of Urban Poor (BSUP) are also being executed by the PMC under JNNURM. “There are problems in executing the projects owing to lack of sufficient area. Thus, the department concerned has been asked to explore possibilities in which the objective of the projects is achieved in the available land,” Zagade said.

In the review meeting on development works, he said the work on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) was to be speeded up, as there had been delay in completion of the works. The PMC is yet to complete the development work on the pilot BRTS project from

Hadapsar to Swargate and Swargate to Katraj. Though, the development work on various other roads is under progress the BRTS service is yet to be introduced on these roads. All the departments concerned have also been asked to get rid of hurdles by taking up discussions with other agencies.

Last Updated on Friday, 28 August 2009 11:22
 

PMC sets deadline for JNNURM projects

Friday, 28 August 2009 08:17 administrator
Print PDF

The Times of India 28.08.2009

PMC sets deadline for JNNURM projects

TNN 28 August 2009, 01:01am IST

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation on Thursday reviewed the ongoing infrastructure development projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and set deadlines for their completion.

Municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade convened a meeting of heads of department to review the ongoing projects. "We had to take stock of the situation before planning further projects under the mission. Detailed discussions were held on every project. We have also fixed deadlines for the completion of the projects," Zagade said. Directives have been given to speed up the process of land acquisition, he added.

"The PMC will submit new proposals under the JNNURM, but before that, we have to complete the ongoing projects. We are planning some new infrastructure projects," Zagade said.

The Union government had allocated Rs 5,482 crore in 2007-08 and Rs 6,866 crore in 2008-09 for JNNURM projects. Allocation of Rs 11,842 crore was proposed in the interim budget for 2009-10. With allocations increased by 87 per cent in this year's Union budget, the total funds sanctioned stand at Rs 12,887 crore. With this, Pune has received the maximum allocation of Rs 2,440.65 crore since 2005, when the JNNURM was launched.

"The PMC is also mulling over a new Pune-specific model for basic services for the urban poor (BSUP), considering the shortage of land for project implementation," Zagade said.

The government has already approved the PMC's proposal of constructing 40,000 dwelling units for slum-dwellers. However, the civic administration has not been able to acquire land for implementation of the project. "We are working on a model where more houses could be constructed on the land that is available," Zagade said.

The state's share in JNNURM funds is 20 per cent, the Central government bears 50 per cent of the project's cost, while the local self-government body, implementing the mission, bears the remaining 30 per cent.
 
More Articles...


Page 178 of 205