Is Heritage An Asset or A Liability?: Understanding The Debate and Din in Mumbai
Is Heritage An Asset or A Liability?: Understanding The Debate and Din in Mumbai
Is Heritage An Asset or A Liability?: Understanding The Debate and Din in Mumbai
Resilient Architecture
redevelopment - mumbai
Is Heritage an Asset
or a Liability?
Understanding the debate and din in Mumbai
Vikas Dilawari, Conservation Architect, Mumbai
to stop all construction in mega cities Museum in Byculla, and as seen in development now follows the normal d) Redevelopment is the need of the
like Shanghai as the air is heavily the extension to Grade I Chattrapati bye-laws and not the special hour:
populated beyond acceptable standards ShivajMaharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya guidelines of the precinct where Yes, re-development is the need of
and is creating health hazards. Back at which recently reconstructed its mass and scale, and setting of the the hour for buildings that are
home in India, in the beginning of every children centre. precinct is significant and that is the dilapidated and require
winter, the fog that encompasses Delhi area of the conflict which needs to reconstruction. It is the need of the
is also a warning to us in Mumbai, For buildings listed as Grade II, be addressed. hour if it creates affordable housing
reminding us of the 1400 cars that get adaptive reuse as well as internal stock for our city. The sad reality is
added to our city every day. While we changes are allowed but external b) Our buildings are old, not maintained that as the current Government rules
can't compare ourselves with developed changes need to be controlled, as and can collapse anytime, hence give more FSI and encourage
cities like London or NY, we can at least has been done in the Army and Navy heritage listing is not needed: reconstruction, we find even
stop ourselves from going the Shanghai Building at Kala Ghoda with More than the age of the building, structural sound buildings get
way. We have to address our own 'Westside' replacing the 'Indian one must examine whether the demolished under the pretext of
issues in our context and capitalise on Airlines' or in the BMC head offices building can be repaired properly or being dilapidated. The new buildings
our strengths. or in Tata Palace, originally a not? Some of the recent collapses in that come-up with the 'rehabilitation'
residential building now a functional the city (Altaf Manzil and Dockyard component are so expensive that
SOME COMMONLY HELD bank. Lifts have been permitted in Road BMC conservancy staff ordinary citizens can't afford such
MYTHS ABOUT CONSERVATION grade II A like Bradys Flat and residential building) were neither old accommodation. Hence the increase
a) Conservation means no-development: BJPCI. In Rallis House grade II A, nor heritage buildings but relatively in density is seen in suburban areas
This is NOT true for most heritage the shell of the building was retained recently built structures. The truth is like Vasai, Virar, Thane and beyond.
buildings and areas, and is true and complete new interiors were that all buildings require good Ideally reconstruction should be
ONLY for exceptional heritage stock done internally. Additional building maintenance and one should taken up by the Government itself
such as monuments that have Grade was permitted in Grade II B Anjuman encourage this and address this as (through MHADA) in public private
I status. For all other buildings and e Islam School, Addition of a floor the core issue and have a policy partnership model to ensure that the
areas termed as heritage, all that is was allowed in Grade IIB as in case which encourages good maintenance. cost of reconstruction is economical
required is sensitive development. of Cathedral John Connon School. and that the saleable component is
CST is a functional and one of the Repairs, addition and alterations, c) We can make no changes if our available to all strata of society in a
most frequented and used World adaptive reuse, changes in the buildings are listed as 'heritage': transparent manner (e.g. through
Heritage Site in the World that does interiors, etc. are all allowed in grade All buildings are listed for some lottery).
not mean it no changes… Yes no III buildings and heritage precincts, cultural value and these values need
one in proper senses would ask for and even redevelopment is allowed to be respected while one is doing REALITIES OF REDEVELOPMENT
its redevelopment as it is asset and when a building is damaged in a fire interventions. Hence there would be IN MUMBAI:
icon of Mumbai. or is structurally unsafe. Like some restrictions while dealing with a) Reduced quality of life for all:
Jhulelal House (Banque Indo Suez a heritage structure but that does not Ad-hoc Reconstruction is a severe
Similarly even for Grade I buildings, bldg.) which has retained the old mean that no changes are permitted. load to the fragile century-old
development is possible: we can arches and has reconstructed a The heritage listing means that one infrastructure (roads, sewage) and
have international and national design contemporary block in that envelope. needs to be sensitive while adversely affects the quality of life
competitions to encourage the best Repairs and renovations have been undertaking essential changes that for the citizens of that area. It is
contemporary or contextual design allowed office buildings of Ballard may be required. Examples above seen that people residing in many
for a heritage building, as has been Estate which grade III. The reveal that changes are allowed to streets abutting heritage buildings,
proposed for Dr Bhau Daji Lad unfortunate part is that the re- meet the need. and who never owned any vehicles