presentation tries to define agenda for identification, preservation, conservation and making value addition to the valuable manmade heritage in the Indian context, looking at various facets of heritage including their context in the human settlements, their planning, development and management, making it community centric , sourcing funds and making it integral part of urban planning and development process. Heritage needs to be respected, preserved and promoted by making value addition.

1. Strategy and Options
for Preserving Indian
Heritage
J.K.Gupta
EX- Director COA-IETBhaddal,
Jit.kumar1944@gmail.com
M- 90410-26414

2. State of World’s Cities
• UN Habitat Report- State of World’s Cities 2008/2009-
Harmonious Cities, defines cities in terms of --
• Cities contain both order and chaos.
• In them reside beauty and ugliness--virtue and vice.
• They can bring out best or worst in human kind.
• They are physical manifestation of history and culture
• They are incubators of innovations, industry, technology,
entrepreneurship and creativity.
• Cities are materialization of humanity’s noblest ideas, ambitions and
aspirations,
• but when not planned or governed properly, can be repository of
society’s ills.
• Cities drive national economies by creating wealth, enhancing social
development and providing employment but
• they can also be breeding grounds for poverty, exclusion and
environmental degradation.

3. Cities and their Context
• Cities have been part of human history.
• - Cities- known to command power and authority
• Cities -- known for their dualities and contradictions.
• Cities- known for both -- positivities and negativities
• Cities -- known to be areas of concentration of population/
activities, infrastructures, services, healthcare, education
• Cities -- known to be Engines of economic growth-70%
• Cities - generators of employment , wealth and prosperity,
• Cities – also known for their negativities,
• – where rich and poor rub shoulders-
• Cities – large consumers of resources/energy/ land
• Cities- generators of 70% waste
• Cities – consuming 60% global energy generating 70% of
carbon footprints-
• Cities largely responsible for global warming-

4. Cities and their Context
• Cities- remain a manmade , mechanical habitat
• Cities- destroy natural habitat-anti-thesis to bio-diversity
• Cities- known to be creator of best/ worst living
conditions- housing both rich and poor
• Cities- home to large migrants
• Cities- home to slums
• Cities- remain in crisis- natural and manmade
• Crisis-- of population, poverty, pollution
• Cities – ever evolving and devolving, never static
• Cities – to remain dominant in future
• Cities- drivers of nation’s future
• However Cities - needs rationalization
• Cities --need to be made more-- bio-diverse; productive,
effective, efficient, humane, livable, inclusive, safe,
Resilient ,sustainable, Healthy place to live /work

5. IntoductionI

6. INTRODUCTION
• If Cities- known as reservoirs of skill & manpower.
• Cities – are also known as repositories of heritage.
• Heritage -reflect personality of a community/area
• -gives distinct identity, character, Recognition, Makes
Value addition, a sense of pride to community- area- city,
state nation
-- provides information about culture &way of life, art
& architecture - creates-- Vital link between past & present
- also define - future
----- showcases skill in town planning; architecture,
development, construction, way of living
--promotes development, employment ,economy, removing
poverty -- by promoting tourism, leisure, recreation
• -India—in 5000 years history, -- inherited enormous wealth
of natural &built environment.
• Heritage needs conservation & preservation - carefully
and thoughtfully.
 SDGs Target 11.4 -- “Strengthen efforts to protect/
safeguard world’s cultural and natural heritage”

7. INTRODUCTION
 Heritage concept -- changed during last few decades.
 Concept moved -From-- monument-centric- separating
past from present.
 To - vernacular structures/ historic urban areas/ cultural
landscapes / intangible aspects, linking past& present
with local social/ environmental context.
 protection not restricted to preservation but
 -- continuity of past into future.
 -- pitting heritage conservation not against development,
but sustainable development.
 Considering challenges posed by rapid urbanization,
disasters caused by natural/ manmade hazards / impacts
of climate change
 -- focus is on risk preparedness for protecting our past for

8. Issues
• Built heritage under enormous threat due to :
- lack of identification of heritage
- Rapid urbanisation
- Low priority to heritage
-constant neglect & misuse of identified heritage
- haphazard & uncontrolled urban development.
-subdivision of land/ buildings
- - Change of land use
--Rapid commercialization.
- Large scale speculation in land
-rapidly rising real estate prices.
- low heritage related capacity at local level
-Lack of resources- financial& Technical
• -- Inadequate innovative strategies/ policies.

9. .
Strategies- Redefining

10. OPTIONS--REDEFINING /MAPPING HERITAGE
• --Majority of heritage lost due to lack of identification
• -Indian legal framework links Heritage to time scale;100 years.
• - major cause of exclusion of large Heritage buildings
created during last 100 years
• -Heritage needs re-definition with precise / detailed guidelines
• -- well defined process and machinery for identification
• --involving trained manpower
• -- Need Capacity building at national/state /local levels
• ---Indian heritage largely building specific
• -- Scope needs to be widened to include; natural resources
• -- urban spaces, bazaars, complexes, cities.
• --Concept enlarged to include heritage zones
• -Modern heritage needs Recognition- Capitol of Chandigarh
• -- Walled cities pan India- declared as heritage zone

11. Strategies- making Heritage
part of urban planning

12. Making Heritage Part of Planning process

13. Making Heritage Part of Planning process
• Heritage suffered from haphazard/ unplanned
development
• Lack of focus on Heritage conservation - in urban
planning
• Effective heritage management requires – making
Heritage integral part of settlement planning.
• Regional Plans Master plans/ Development Plans to;
• -- identify heritage areas/zones/buildings in planning area
• -- prepare inventory of urban heritage
• -- Carry out detailed study and analysis
• -- define strategies - to preserve, conserve/ promote/
manage heritage
• --frame dedicated schemes for heritage areas
development
• Enlarge scope of Town Planning laws to provide for
Heritage conservation as priority area
• Regional /Master Plans to dedicate a Chapter on Heritage

14. Involving communities

15. Involving Communities
• Ignoring communities/ public participation-root-cause of
damage/ destruction of valuable heritage
• - Moving Heritage management from government led to people
centric-- key to success
• - People legitimate owners--community sees heritage as a
“good thing to have”- need active involvement
• Involving communities through -- Holding public meetings
• -- making people part of discussions
• --‘listening to’ and giving voice to people
• --Holding workshops/ Heritage Exhibitions/using print media
• -Organizing Heritage Marches/ competition/ asset mapping
• - bringing out leaflets, maps / brochures, highlighting heritage
• --Involving local educational institutions/students in heritage
management
• -- training local inhabitants as tourist guides

16. Involving Communities
•

17. Involving Communities
•

18. involving academic/
professional institutions

19. Involving academic/ professional institutions
• - Heritage has suffered due to inadequate trained manpower
• --low priority to heritage-- in institutions imparting education in
Architecture/ Planning /engineering
• - Planners/ Architects /engineers role critical in heritage
• -- few institutions run specialised courses in heritage
• --Need to make heritage integral part of study in school/
colleges/technical institutions
• -Starting of undergraduate/Master level courses on heritage
preservation/management in IIT’s/SPA’s/NIT’s
• -- Involving institutions– ITPI/ IIA/ Institute of Engineers/
INTACH/ Voluntary agencies/NGOs/ civil society/pressure
groups-- for safeguarding/promoting heritage.
• -Sensitizing in-service /professionals-architects/ planners
/engineers/students -- by making heritage part of study
curricula/holding seminars / workshops/awareness programms

20. INV0LVING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

21. Redefining Legal
Framework & Development

22. LEGAL FRAMEWORK & DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS :
• Existing legal framework related to planning, development
/ management of human settlements - done more harm
than good to heritage management.
• Town Planning laws to be reviewed and redefined on
priority to make them heritage friendly
• Master Plans/Regional Plans to focus on heritage
conservation
• Development schemes -- define agenda for heritage
conservation
• Considering critical role of development control, zoning/
regulations/ bye-laws -- in heritage conservation
• .-- -- Define controls sensitive to heritage
• -- based on study/ analysis
• Concept of Listed buildings -- included in legal framework
to identify/ preserve heritage

23. COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
GATEWAY OF INDIA
HOTEL TAJ MUMBAI
Constituting Heritage
commissions/committees

24. CONSTITUTING HERITAGE COMMISSIONS/ COMMITTEES :
• States --to constitute heritage commission /heritage
committees at the state/local levels
• Heritage Commission – to aid, advise,assist / guide state
government /local govenmnets - evolve policy framework
for identification, notification, preserving and managing
heritage in state
• Heritage Identification- based on concept of listed
buildings.
• Having heritage experts
• -- in all planning
• -- development authorities/agencies/
• town planning/PWD /architecture

25. JAIN ARCHITECTURE
DILWARA TEMPLE
Creating a dedicated
Heritage Fund

26. Creating Heritage Fund
• Heritage management- a resource intensive activity.
• Heritage management Suffered- Non-availability of
dedicated resources
• Generating resources for heritage by
• -- Creating dedicated fund at National/State / Local level.
• involving Corporate Sector
• --Involving Artists / Professionals for raising funds for
promoting heritage. - - using Part of tourism earning
– Starting Heritage lotteries
– - levying heritage cess on tourists /new development
– earmarking dedicated fund in budgets of ULB,s/ Dev.
Authority
– -- Promoting public –private partnership.
– involving industries /in maintenance / upkeep

27. MADURAI TEMPLES
MEENAKSHI TEMPLE
16th Century
Dedicated to Parvati
Capacity Building

28. Capacity Building
• Absence of Nodal Agency on heritage in states/local level
• Poor capacity of stakeholders- financial/technical
• Effective heritage management– needs creating
appropriate capacity at local, state /national for ;
• - identification/conservation of heritage
• -- Promoting Research and Development
• -making available appropriate literature
• -- learning good practices,
• -- imparting hands on training,
• -- learning from case studies/ communication tools
• - engaging local stakeholders – owners of heritage
houses,
• --Involving experts, educational institutions, artists and
craftsmen

29. CAPACITY BUILDING

30. Heritage City Development and
Augmentation Yojna- HRIDAY

31. Heritage City Development and Augmentation
Yojna- HRIDAY
•
•
HRIDAY strategizes efforts like;
-- planning, development, implementation ,management of heritage cities
-- in partnership with State Governments
-- to Preserve and revitalise soul of heritage city
-- to reflect city’s unique character by encouraging
-- aesthetic based, accessible, informative & secured environment.
-- undertaking strategic / planned development of heritage cities
--improving overall quality of life with specific focus
-- on sanitation, security, tourism, heritage revitalization / livelihood
-- retaining city’s cultural identity.
Duration of HRIDAY scheme --- 4 years starting January 21, 2015
Scheme focused on development of twelve heritage cities namely;
1. Ajmer 2. Amravati 3. Amritsar
4. Badami 5. Dwarka 6. Gaya
7. Kanchipuram 8. Mathura 9. Puri
10. Varanasi 11. Velankanni 12. Warangal
HRIDAY to be continued-- extended to all cities
- making part of smart city /urban development

32. COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE
VICTORIA HALL KOLKATA
SECRETARIAT- MODERN HERITAGE
Evolving Comprehensive
Conservation Heritage Strategy

33. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy

34. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy
• Comprehensive Conservation Heritage Strategy should
stand on four distinct pillars of
• -- promoting Understanding -- Ensuring Positive Action,
• -- Developing Partnerships -- Promoting Best Practice.
Conservation / Heritage Strategy must revolve around;
• -- Creating Effective/efficient/ heritage friendly legal framework for
identification/conservation of heritage
• --Making heritage people centric - involving communities
• --Promoting partnerships between different stakeholders
• -- Creating awareness / appreciation of value of heritage assets
• -- Making heritage management part of planning /development process
• -- Incentivising conservation /promoting / monitoring/reviewing
heritage sites on regular basis..
• -- Organising exhibitions/conferences /workshops at Heritage sites
• -- Synthesising historic resources with economic development
strategies.
• - Avoiding commercialization of heritage over conservation values.

35. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy
• Leveraging heritage for generating employment , reducing poverty.
• --Building institutional capacity -in heritage planning/ management
• -- Promoting active re-use of heritage buildings-Palaces/ hotels/
museums --for larger public use / making value addition to heritage
• -- generating resources for maintenance & upkeep.
• Promoting best practice for- preservation , conservation and
management of heritage sites
• -- Promoting partnership -- between public, private and voluntary
sectors
• - Promoting actions / initiatives -- to ensure preservation /
enhancement of heritage assets
• --Fostering continued use/ enjoyment /access to diverse historic
assets
• - ensuring contribution to quality of life present / future
generations.
• --Developing short, medium / long term targets-- within available
resources

36. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy
• Creating a dedicated fund for heritage management at local/ state and
national level.
• Creating large reservoir/pool of trained manpower for heritage
conservation.
• Improving communication
• --Making heritage integral part of teaching- learning process
• -Making people believe that development and heritage are positively
co-related -- for promoting
• -- economy
• -- quality of life,
• -- removing poverty
• Promoting participative governance -- by empowered local
communities in the planning / implementation /promoting vigilance of
the heritage sites
• Creating local ownership among communities-- by holding festivals
etc
• Making rational choices of combining-- restoration, rehabilitation/
preservation for promoting valuable heritage.

37. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy
– Making - heritage protection not an impediment –
– but a pre-condition for economic/sustainable development
• --Developing a culture of participative, Collaborative decision
making
• – moving towards good-governance
 - Adopting Globally good practices with appropriate modifications
 Help building urban identity / pride in residents.
 -Go beyond just resorting / preserving historical assets,
 --lead to well-being / security, through broad community
participation and involvement.
 - help achieving SDGs Target 11.4 –
 --“Strengthening efforts to protect / safeguard world’s cultural
and natural heritage”

38. Evolving Conservation Heritage Strategy
• - creating dedicated framework of experts in;
• -- all planning/development agencies
• -- for identification of heritage.—
• -- aiding, advising, assisting& guiding development
agencies on heritage /conservation.
• integrating efforts made by all stake-holders -
• --- parastatal agencies, individuals, institutions ,
NGOs/CBOs engaged in heritage
• -- for preparing comprehensive vocabulary of heritage
• --Making India -globally recognized resource/ repository of
• -- Heritage Management and
• --preferred tourist destination
• -- with high degree of sensitivity / commitment to Indian
heritage