The Hindu : Front Page : Focus on micro-planning of Auroville city: Karan Singh

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Monday, Mar 31, 2008
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Focus on micro-planning of Auroville city: Karan Singh

Serena Josephine M.

Concern over activity by developers in surrounding areas

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Chairman of the Auroville Foundation Karan Singh (right) interacts with Aster Patel, member of the governing body, and M. Ramaswamy, secretary, in Auroville on Sunday.

PUDUCHERRY: Following three significant developments in Auroville — the dedication of the Sri Aurobindo statue, the inauguration of the renovated auditorium and the Auroville Foundation Bhavan — the move now would be to design the city and decide on its micro-planning, chairman of the Auroville Foundation Karan Singh said on Sunday.

On a three-day visit to Auroville from March 29, he told The Hindu that Auroville had not even one statue of Sri Aurobindo till now. “It was my idea to install a statue of Sri Aurobindo on the 40th anniversary of Auroville. We asked artist Lalit Verma to make a statue and it has come out beautifully,” Mr. Singh said.

He also inaugurated the refurbished auditorium and the office for the Auroville Foundation — Auroville Foundation Bhavan.

“These three events mark a significant development in Auroville,” he said.

The chairman held a series of meetings with the working committee and other groups of the foundation.

“There are a lot of plans for Auroville. Next, we have to come up with the micro-planning of the city. Several matters are still pending and we are disturbed by the fact that developers have become active in the surrounding areas of Auroville,” Mr. Singh said.

More projects

There were three or four projects for Bharat Nivas, including making Kalakendra into good place for exhibitions, reconstruction of the amphitheatre and creating a centre for Indian culture.

At his meeting with the governing body members, plans were discussed to start the Indian Pavilion’s activities, link all States and set up a Tamil heritage centre.

There were suggestions to collect photographs and other materials on India to present to students, researchers and visitors at Bharat Nivas, an official of Auroville said.

“The Indian Pavilion will be the base for the emergence of pavilions of other countries. Already, the centre has workshops and seminars. This will continue with new facilities,” the official said.

Auroville Foundation secretary M. Ramaswamy and member of the governing body Aster Patel were present at the meetings.

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