There can be no argument on Metro Rail being a much-needed solution to the traffic problems of Chennai. It is a mammoth project that will change the face of the city as we know it. In such circumstances, it is necessary that all stakeholders are taken into confidence thereby making the change as painless as possible.
In the current situation however, it appears that our city's heritage will be the biggest casualty. And definitely, heritage is an important stakeholder though it does not have much of a voice. Some of the best known landmarks of the city are going to be impacted for certain; while others are likely to make way either in full or in part.
The city's heritage structures presently have a modicum of protection afforded by a judgement concerning Bharat Insurance Building, a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture at its celebratory best. The owners, LIC, decided to demolish this edifice and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) challenged this in court — a recourse that the latter has taken in several other instances with varying degrees of success.
In this particular case Justice Prabha Sridevan, in April 2010, ordered that the building had to be preserved. While simultaneously disposing off related petitions, the judgement also included a list of 400-odd buildings that it deemed as heritage structures which needed to be preserved. For this, the Court took as its basis a compilation done by a Committee under Justice E. Padmanabhan. The judgement also directed the Government to form a Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) comprising experts on the subject from within and outside the Government, who would go into the merits of each building and proceed with the notification of the entire list.
After almost two years of existence, the HCC has not inspected the buildings in the Court's list, notification being a far-away dream. In the interim, the only action that has been taken is a letter addressed to most of the heritage property owners that they cannot demolish or alter their buildings. In the absence of any positive recommendation in the letter, most heritage property owners have come to view their possessions as liabilities and some have gone ahead with demolitions.
Chennai Metro Rail has put up barricades within two feet of heritage buildings in some places. At others (P. Orr & Sons, Bharat Insurance Buildings and the Lawrence Asylum Press behind Poompuhar), creative interpretations of what is heritage and what is not have been made. As a result, substantial portions of the building face the danger of being demolished, leaving behind only a cardboard façade. This is in violation of the Padmanabhan Committee report, wherein no demolition, alteration or defacement of any part of a building listed as Grade 1 can be done. And definitely buildings such as P. Orr & Sons and Bharat Insurance fall under that category.
In certain other places, huge exhaust vents and other structures are being planned (Victoria Public Hall and Ripon Buildings being two), completely blocking off the view of these structures. This is rather ironic considering that the HCC bases its mandate on a list of heritage buildings whose exteriors could not be hidden behind hoardings leave alone permanent structures such as vents and staircases!
There is no public display of station plans and layouts with details of how it will affect the neighbourhood. No pubic discussions were held. The citizens who are kept in dark agree that Chennai needs a proper traffic solution, but ask does it have to be at the expense of its heritage?
Keywords: Chennai metro rail, CMRL, P. Orr & Sons
Well, if they're going to do it, they better get Mr. Sreedharan's advice. Else, it will be doomed to go the Hyderabad metro way
It is the duty of the government to protect its history.The people should also know the ways in which they can preserve their heritages.I personaly think that it is high time that the citizens preserve their history.
For TN Govt Coovum canal is a Heritage and by any means it should be preserved.For TN people DMK and AIADMK are Heritage and both should be retained to rule them!
In Delhi everything is heritage and well protected but in Chennai real
heritage is being wiped out. Are we really one nation or is under some
sort of illusion?
Bangalore has already lost parts of Cubbon Park and Lalbagh apart from the historic promenade on MG Road to Metro. Apart from development in these areas, Metro is blasting the earth for the underground section between the majestic High COurt and Vidhana Soudha buildings. I sincerely hope that Chennai Metro does not go the Bangalore way-buldozing heritage buildings and parks-all for a ride. Chennai has far too many heritage structures than Bangalore and all of them needs to be preserved.
As a citizen of Bangalore and a huge admirer of Chennai for having preserved its heritage buildings and streets so far, it pains me to read this article. Metro Bangalore has been a gargantuan waste of government sloth and inefficiency, coupled with unconscionable waste of hundreds of millions of rupees. After harassing the citizens of Bangalore by taking over their roads, forcibly removing people from their residences and places of work (without proper redressal procedures, to add insult to injury) and inordinate delays in executing projects per stated deadlines, one fears this full-frontal assault of government ham-handedness on the helpless and hapless citizens of Chennai. If Chennaites makes the same mistake of not holding Metro accountable for its misdeeds, they are going to be in for a long ordeal that they wished they had never ever signed up for. Good luck and commiserations in advance, as one sheds a tear or two in anticipation of the botched surgery of Chennai.
Agreed the concern and the importance of heritage buildings in Chennai. The relief by Madras High Court in this regard goes unfortunately a waste, considering the efforts made to restore the Bharat Insurance building. We either dont have the expertise to restore heritage buildings to its past glory or we lack the sprit for it. The heritage buildings in chennai are left to rot and eventually collapse. It becomes obvious when seen the inaction of Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) despite formed more than two years now. The heritage buildings, (P. Orr & Sons, Bharat Insurance Buildings and the Lawrence Asylum Press behind Poompuhar) are all in pathetic conditions under the current managements. Trying to evoke the sympathy of judiciary and government is purely on commercial grounds and the location of such buildings have. These owners should be kicked out and the buildings should be taken over by the government for maintenance. Metro has to be come for the benefit of Chennai.
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