Ahmedabad: Keen on preserving its heritage city tag and worried about the impact of ‘developments’ on heritage value, Ahmedabad has made the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) report mandatory for every construction, renovation and repair project within the Walled City, its core area and its buffer zone. Acting urgently to prevent likely damage from such works to heritage structures, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has immediately put on hold 20 ongoing projects and pushed aside applications until a formal policy framework is in place.The HIA rule applies to govt as well as private projects, with the assessment looking into everything ranging from altered facades that do not match the original structure, possible structural damage or erosion of heritage value. “No new construction, renovation, or repair work within the approximately 6sq km of the Walled City, or along the 2km-wide stretch covering the buffer zone outside the walls, will get development permission without a completed HIA,” said a senior AMC official.The civic body plans to empanel conservation specialists and structural engineers with heritage expertise for HIA of large scale projects as well as buildings.Since Ahmedabad won Unesco’s World Heritage City tag on July 8, 2017, AMC has approved applications for renovations to around 200 heritage homes in the Walled City, of which 100 have been completed. On March 18 this year, a joint team from Unesco’sWorld Heritage Centre (WHC) and International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) was in Ahmedabad on a four-day Reactive Monitoring Mission.The team consisted of an officer each from ICOMOS and the WHC, besides two officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). They were here to determine whether Ahmedabad was upholding the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) that earned it the World Heritage designation.The AMC official said, “The visit directly prompted the HIA mandate under a new policy being worked on to ensure that no govt or private project adversely affects heritage value.”Three infrastructure projects drew the WHC-ICOMOS team’s sharpest scrutiny — the railway station in Kalupur, the Danapith multi-level parking and fire station, and the Geetamandir GSRTC bus terminal.The WHC labelled the redevelopment of the railway station a “clear threat” to the heritage core, citing its scale and proximity. It has urged authorities to halt zoning amendments there until an independent HIA is carried out.Despite a 3m height reduction already made, experts warned the Danapith multi-level parking and fire station project could still degrade the heritage zone by increasing motorised traffic.The Geetamandir GSRTC bus terminal came under scrutiny after damage was reported to a non-listed heritage wall. The team also expressed sharp concern over “limited movement on two mandatory deliverables — the Heritage Conservation Plan and revised Urban Design Guidelines,” revealed the AMC official.Conservation works at Bhadra Fort, the Sardar Patel Museum, and a newly proposed heritage walk route were also on the team’s itinerary.
