Heritage tag project: Slow pace prompts clamour for Gujarat govt push

Disappointed with the pace at which the city's heritage tag project is moving, stakeholders associated with the project now want the state to push for speedy planning and implementation. Heritage entrepreneur and convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Abhay Mangaldas recently wrote to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani apprising him about the situation on the ground in reference to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) report.

On July 8, 2017, UNESCO declared the walled city of Ahmedabad a World Heritage City. It took two decades of efforts to achieve the new status as Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had set up Heritage Cell in 1996 to preserve heritage sites and restore those which were damaged. Prior to that in 1984, Ford Foundation had instituted a project to conserve city's heritage structures in the walled city.

While the title brought a lot of honour to the city and scope to attract more tourists, nearly ten months later, experts are now worried about the project moving in snails pace.

Says Abhay Mangaldas, "While there is an intention, unfortunately things are not moving ahead. The stakeholders have no idea what is happening with the city's heritage plan, which is why we have written to the CM seeking his appointment."

"We want the state government's push for the project," Mangaldas said.

Other stakeholders, requesting anonymity, said the AMC can only do a bit as they are mainly responsible for the city's civic issues. Retaining this title is a massive project and to conserve 2,600 structures is a big task. For the Sabarmati riverfront project, special committees were formed by the state and central governments. The task of implementing this project is entirely on the heritage department. Hence, we want proper infrastructure and committees to be formed.

Another member said, "The technical committee of ICOMOS had deferred the title on certain grounds, but voting from different countries ensured the title came to Ahmedabad. However, it was clearly stated then that those grounds will have to be matched. There have been instances when the UNESCO revoked the title after review. Ahmedabad's review will take place in 2019 or 2020, so we need to have a solid plan in place. If the state government frames policies and pushes for the same, it will help."

When DNA spoke to Ketan Thakkar, deputy municipal commissioner, he said, "We are in the process of coming up with a plan. We have to submit it to ICOMOS within three years of the bagging the title. We will submit it by December 2019. We are meeting the stake holders and representatives of the Heritage Society – which we formed soon after inscription of the tag. We are also engaging experts and have roped in CEPT and Nirma universities to provide us with technical assistance. Such things take some time for execution."