State government to bring Jaipur back in ‘World Heritage list 2019’

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government will soon declare Jaipur heritage sites area a ‘no construction zone’. As per the building by laws, no construction will be allowed till a certain distance from the heritage or ancient walls in the walled city, said a senior official. The government instructed the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) to issue a notification soon under the Building by laws 1970, for the same.

The move comes after releasing a report on illegal construction and encroachments in the city. A team from ‘International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)’ that evaluates cites visited Jaipur last year in September 2018. ICOMOS warned about the concern in its report. After this Jaipur has been removed from the World Heritage List.

A meeting was organised to discuss ways for the inclusion of Jaipur back in the World Heritage list 2019. The state-level heritage committee meeting was chaired by DB Gupta, chief secretary. Officials from the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), traffic and tourism department and JMC were present in the meeting. Several decisions were taken to stop illegal encroachments and constructions in the city. The committee also planned to prepare management and conservation plans.

One of the corporation’s senior official said, “JMC will follow guidelines of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to stop the illegal constructions in the city. Such constructions will be mapped, studied and a report will be made for action.” In case, a building requires necessary repair work, a sanction will be required from a high-power committee of experts and officials. The JMC will issue architectural control guidelines. For smooth traffic flow in walled city, a detailed plan will be made, he added.

The ICOMOS report was delivered to world heritage committee but the final decision will be taken in the meeting scheduled from June 30 to July 10, at the Baku city of Azerbaijan. Officials are in action mode and preparing plans to mold the decision in their favor. The government is preparing draft rules where the original architecture of the walled city cannot be tampered; a heritage cell in the JMC will ensure the same and monitor; and cameras will be installed for monitoring, especially illegal constructions.

DB Gupta, chief secretary said, “The reasons of deferral are such that there should be space for traffic and pedestrian; separate zones for photography for tourists; steps to curb pollution; fire and disaster management plan for markets etc. provisions for these are there in the smart city project.” A team of officials, experts and elected representatives will appraise the ICOMOS office in Paris about the action taken on the questions raised during assessment, which will bring a positive side during the meeting at Baku, he added.