Annual Report
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Annual Report 2013 - 14 Delhi Urban Art Commission India Habitat Centre,Core-6A Lodhi Road New Delhi - 110 003 [Annual Report 2013-14] 33 DELHI URBAN ART COMMISSION Chairman Shri Raj Rewal Members Smt. Sonali Bhagwati Shri Satish Khanna Shri Eric P. Mall Shri D Diptivilasa, Addl. Secretary (UD), Ministry of Urban Development Officers Shri Vinod Kumar Secretary Shri Rajeev Kumar Gaur Assistant Secretary (Tech.) (from 14.11.2013) Shri Raghvendra Singh Administrative Officer (from 28.10.2013) [Annual Report 2013-14] 34 The Delhi Urban Art Commission is an autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament in 1973 to advise the Government of India in the matter of preserving, developing and maintaining the aesthetic quality of urban and environmental design within Delhi, and to provide advice and guidance to any local body in respect of any project of building operations or engineering operations or any development proposal which affects or is likely to affect the skyline or the aesthetic quality of the surroundings or any public amenity provided therein. [Annual Report 2013-14] 35 Contents Page Number 1. Perspective 36 2. City Level Projects 40 3. Aesthetics at City Level 45 4. Significant Concerns 48 5. Administration and Organization 52 Annexure –I 55 Annexure –II 66 Acknowledgement 73 [Annual Report 2013-14] 36 Perspective Delhi is governed by multiple authorities some of which belong to the Central Government and the rest to the State Government. Each authority functions under their respective mandates and have their own priorities. Under such circumstances for the cohesive and inclusive growth of any city it is important to have a vision for the City’s future development. This is more so for a city like Delhi with its rich heritage in the form of innumerable monuments dotting the cityscape, luscious green areas of the New Delhi; the ridge and the forest cover in different parts of the City which led to an initiative for tagging Delhi as a world heritage city. Growth of Delhi as an Economic Centre With the globalisation of the Indian economy, Delhi, a cosmopolitan city, over a period of time invited increased economic activity leading to the city becoming an international business hub. This coupled with Delhi being the venue of the Asian Games in the 1980s and the Commonwealth Games more recently resulted in the highest influx of population to the City in search of jobs posing a challenge to the city planners for catering to the basic civic amenities for the ever burgeoning population. With fast pace of construction activity and dwindling of areas available for construction there has been a challenge before the city planners for ensuring that the development in the City for meeting its present day requirements is not at the cost of its rich heritage. Role of Delhi Urban Art Commission It is in this context that the role of an organisation like the Delhi Urban Art Commission(DUAC) becomes important. The DUAC was set up under the Delhi Urban Art Commission Act, 1974 with the objective of preserving, developing and maintaining the urban and environmental design within Delhi. The Commission’s foremost concern has always been that development in the city and conservation of heritage should not be at the cost of each other. City Level Initiatives With this objective in view the Commission has been deliberating on the proposals being referred to it. The present Commission on assuming office held series of meetings with a cross-section of experts to decide the way forward. During the course of deliberations in such meetings it transpired that DUAC with its body of experts is in a position to conduct macro level studies on a three dimensional basis on city level issues which had not been done earlier by the authorities concerned. The idea was not to step on to the turf of other authorities but to demonstrate the direction for planning at city level. On the basis of the deliberations the Commission formulated a proposal and sent to the Government for approval of undertaking design concepts on seven important city level projects which included site specific design for wards, gardens, development along metro corridors etc. The proposal of the Commission was considered by the High Powered Project Approval Committee(PAC) headed by the Minister for Urban Development. The PAC approved the proposal of the Commission based on which administrative approval and expenditure sanction was issued by the Ministry of Urban Development. [Annual Report 2013-14] 37 On receipt of Government approval the first task of the Commission was to create requisite infrastructure and engage consultants with the requisite background for conducting studies in house on the assignment in hand. Phase-I of the studies undertaken have since been completed and reports thereof formally launched by the Secretary, (Ministry of Urban Development), Government of India on the 19.02.2014 during the course of a presentation before a gathering comprising of heads of various authorities in Delhi. The reports have been sent to the authorities concerned for implementing the recommendations made on the studies. The studies undertaken in Phase-II are also at an advance stage and are expected to be published shortly. Details on the City Level Projects have been covered in a separate section of this report. Other Initiatives Another important initiative by the present Commission towards improving the aesthetics of public buildings, minimise maintenance and conserve energy was to draw a set of guidelines on which the Commission made it mandatory for submission of an undertaking by the project proponent/architect before their proposal was considered by the Commission. The undertaking was to provide for certain common features which every project proponent needed to take care of from point of view of aesthetics, energy conservation and upkeep of public buildings. Once such an undertaking is received, the consideration time on the proposals became minimal. With this change in practice the Commission has been in a position to take decisions on proposals referred to it expeditiously and there have been hardly any arrears of pending proposals at any point of time. Maintenance of Public Buildings A related issue which affects the aesthetics of a building is its proper maintenance. Besides ensuring compliance with the guidelines mentioned above, the Commission during the year organized an interactive meeting with the different local bodies on the subject of maintenance of public buildings. It emerged during the course of discussions that many of these bodies could not take up maintenance work properly on account of inadequate funds. The matter was taken up with the Ministry of Urban Development for emphasising on the local authorities in Delhi for maintenance of public buildings under their jurisdiction. Acknowledging Contribution of Professionals to Public Buildings Another area where the Commission felt that needed to be given due attention is acknowledging the contribution of architect, engineer and owner of existing and proposed public buildings. The Commission felt that all existing public buildings need to be maintained properly with due respect and intent of the original architect who designed it. Accordingly, the Commission decided to take up with all concerned that in case any changes are desired on the external façade by the owner and the architect is alive it should be done with his consent and approval. In case the architect is not alive, the changes need to be done in a sensitive manner with respect to the original design. [Annual Report 2013-14] 38 To acknowledge the contribution of professionals engaged in public buildings, it was also decided that a plaque indicating the name of the architect, engineer, builder etc at a suitable location in all existing and proposed projects should be installed. On the basis of its decision, the Commission has written to authorities of all important public buildings in Delhi for compliance on the above aspects. Review of District Centres and other Iconic Buildings The Commission expressed its dismay at the sad condition of the existing District Centres at Bhikaji Cama Place, Rajender Place and other iconic buildings in and around the Pragati Maidan. It expressed its concern on a proposal for a Convention Centre at Pragati Maidan spread over an area of one lakh sq. meters and a hall for 5000 persons together with corresponding parking facility keeping in view the fact that the site is next to an important landmark monument of the City viz. Purana Quila and the area already is prone to heavy traffic congestions. The Commission felt that modern iconic buildings constructed in the post Independence era needed to be conserved. It accordingly urged the INTACH to prepare a list of such buildings. After receipt of such a list it decided to draw up criteria for finalising the list of iconic buildings that needed to be conserved and suggested for similar action to the Heritage Conservation Committee to initiate steps for conservation of such buildings based on such common parameters. Views on High-rise Construction The Commission during the year had the opportunity to scrutinise a few residential redevelopment schemes which were based on FAR between 250 to 300. The schemes were mostly located in New Delhi area abutting the Lutyen's Bungalow Zone and Civil Lines Zone. On account of the location of these proposals, the Commission felt that utilisation of such higher FAR/density will have a significant impact on New Delhi’s character and environment. The schemes as proposed would have effect on the open spaces, the low lying horizon and would have significant impact on the emerging future urban design form and architectural character of New Delhi particularly at a juncture when efforts are on to include Delhi in the list of World Heritage sites.