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JMC move to revise by-laws

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 11:20 administrator
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The Times of India 01.09.2009

JMC move to revise by-laws

TNN 1 September 2009, 05:13am IST

JAIPUR: The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), has taken the initiative to revise and strengthen existing by-laws. According to Shikha Jain, director, Development and Research Organisation for Nature Arts and Heritage (DRONAH), the restoration consultant, the Jaipur Nagar Nigam had asked for a proposal to prepare a comprehensive urban design guideline and by-laws for the Walled City. JMC wants this as a checklist to approve development, extension and conservation work executed by private owners or government departments.

Meant to supplement the ongoing initiatives, the special regulations handbook includes the formulation of facade control and urban design guidelines for the entire Walled City. The guidelines essentially are meant to be used by the JMC Heritage Conservation Committee/Heritage Cell to review any projects or proposals in the Walled City.

So far, around 35% of houses in the inner city and "chowkris" have been demolished since 1971 and replaced with new structures by their owners. While the city's residents' leaning towards modern trends and architecture keeps increasing, tourists who come from all over the world are gradually missing the familiar (historic) template of the city, which they are so familiar with, thanks to the sites on the Internet and other sources, which depict the city's splendour through its grand construction.

However, striking a balance, the "special regulations handbook" is also meant for the users/owners of buildings in the Walled City. It helps them maintain the historic character of the city.

Steered by DRONAH, in association with their local partner, Jaipur Virasat Foundation, the recommendations have evolved out of surveys and analysis of the entire historic core spread in an area of 6.7 sq km to determine characteristic guidelines for each city area.

"Each area (chowk, commercial street, inner street) in the Walled City will also have a Facade Control Guidelines Booklet. There are details on planning and use of spaces, architectural typologies, street facade elements and furniture," said Jain.

But like any other project, despite the in-principal approval, the project is still awaiting the final approval by the JMC.

Box

Considering the scale and nature of the Walled City, it is proposed that the work will be carried out in phases taking the two of the following areas in each phase:

1. City Gates and City Walls

2. Chowks and Commercial Streets

3. Chowkri Purani Basti Inner streets and Public Spaces

4. Chowkri Topkhana Desh Inner streets and Public Spaces

5. Chowkri Modikhana and Chowkri Visheshwarji Inner streets and Public Spaces

6. Chowkri Ghat Darwaza Inner streets and Public Spaces

7. Chowkri Ramchandraji Inner streets and Public Spaces

8. Chowkri Gangapol Inner streets and Public Spaces

9. Chowkri Topkhana Hazuri Inner streets and Public Spaces

10. Chowkri Sarhad Public Spaces, road widths and Public Building facades

 

Municipality Hands Over Roses To Encroachers

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 11:16 administrator
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The Times of India 01.09.2009

Municipality Hands Over Roses To Encroachers

Mihir Ray, TNN 31 August 2009, 10:46pm IST

ROURKELA: Borrowing a leaf out of Gandhigiri, Rourkela municipality officials handed over roses encroachers of Main Road footpath before asking them to vacate the area. Municipal chairperson Rashmi Bala Mishra and vice chairperson R N Mishra were present during the occasion.

The novel eviction drive was appreciated by traders, who also expressed their "apology" for encroaching on the footpath.

Shop owners at the Main Road market on both the sides of the road have encroached on the footpath for displaying their products. This has been causing problems for pedestrians and for cleaning of the drain as well. Besides, the encroachers have been causing traffic snarls because the market is located on a very busy area of the Steel City.

The municipal corporation had been facing criticism from various quarters to sort out the problem.

The traditional approach of municipal officials of serving notice with an ultimatum in the past had not yielded results. While many of the previous councils have preferred to remain silent on the matter, the present council preferred to experiment with the Gandhigiri approach to evict the encroachers. "We thought of introducing this approach by offering roses to persons who have encroached on the footpath and requested them with folded hands to clear the footpath in public interest," the municipality vice chairman said.

"We are extremely happy that our approach was welcomed by traders, particularly from the younger generation. They immediately accepted their mistake and expressed apology for their act," Mishra said. "The objective of this move was to create awareness and now we are confident of clearing the encroachments. The process has already begun," he added.

"I was totally ashamed when the municipality authorities like chairperson Rashmi Bala Mishra and vice chairman R N Mishra along with other senior officials approached me with a rose to vacate the footpath. I had no words to defend myself, other than saying sorry," A Kuddus, a young shopkeeper, said. "I feel the traders have realized their mistake and this approach will prompt them to clear the footpath at the earliest," he added.

 

Heritage Structures go 'missing' from AMC records

Tuesday, 01 September 2009 11:10 administrator
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The Times of India 01.09.2009

Heritage Structures go 'missing' from AMC records

TNN 1 September 2009, 03:57am IST

AHMEDABAD: Civic body which runs a full-fledged heritage department has no idea about the number of heritage buildings in the city. The 12,500 buildings which come under Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have suddenly gone missing from its records.

At least this is what AMC's heritage department replied when asked 11 questions under Right to Information Act (RTI) by Nilay Trivedi, a resident of Nagar Wado, Khadia. In its reply, the department denied having any information about heritage buildings in the six municipal zones of civic body, including central zone which has the highest number of such buildings in the city. Areas including Khadia, Kalupur, Jamalpur, Raikhad, Dudheshwar, Madhupura, Girdharnagar, Dariapur and Shahpur comprise the central zone.

Trivedi filed an RTI to know the existing status of heritage buildings, which are slowly either turning into commercial hubs or being demolished for ulterior motives. "AMC authorities have been actively promoting rich heritage of the walled city but not much has been done on the ground level. Many valuable pieces of architecture from these buildings are making their way to the black market," Trivedi said.

He added that the replies he got under RTI categorically stated that heritage department has no record about the grading of heritage buildings. This was given to him on May 25, 2009. In September 2007, state government issued a new General Development Control Regulation categorizing heritage buildings in three grades depending on national, local and architectural importance.

Asked about the existing heritage list in AMC, in-charge deputy estate and town development officer, central zone, Rajendra Jadhav said, "There are around 12,500 listed heritage buildings in the central zone. Each of these are broadly categorized on their structural status fair and bad."

The RTI replies are signed by assistant manager, heritage, Rahul Shah. When contacted, Debashish Nayak advisor, heritage cell, AMC, said, "We have an existing heritage list but we have to see the reasons for which authorities failed to reply correctly to the applicant."
 
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