Jaipur: The ongoing demolition of dilapidated buildings in the Walled City by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) Heritage has sparked concerns regarding the preservation of the city’s nearly 300-year-old heritage. While the initiative aims to enhance safety for residents, the lack of trained officials raises alarms about the adherence to heritage standards.The absence of the five officials who received specialised training from UNESCO is particularly troubling. These individuals, who were part of a heritage cell formed in collaboration with UNESCO, were removed from their positions in Apr 2022. Their departure has left a void in expertise, as none of the current members of the heritage cell have received similar training. BJP councillor Lalita Jaiswal from Ward 72 has been vocal about the issue, highlighting the rise of illegal constructions that flout heritage norms. “There are several illegal constructions in my ward that have been ignored by the zonal deputy commissioners and municipal commissioners, despite our continuous complaints. A court verdict clearly states that only residential buildings up to two storeys can be constructed in the Walled City, yet the civic body and state govt have failed to enforce this,” Jaiswal said. Officials acknowledge the proliferation of illegal constructions, some of which have appeared on main roads following the demolition of old, dilapidated buildings. The lack of guidance for residents wishing to construct buildings in compliance with heritage norms is a pressing issue. “If a resident wants to construct a building maintaining the heritage norms, who will guide them?” an official questioned. The removal of the five trained officials has been attributed to financial discrepancies with the third-party agency responsible for their hiring. As a result, the contracts of these experts were not renewed, leaving the heritage cell without UNESCO-trained personnel. These officials included three town planners and two conservation architects. Among the town planners, one was transferred to a development authority elsewhere in Rajasthan after changing cadre, while the remaining four had their contracts terminated. Post-transfer, one of the officials remains in Jaipur, another returned to her hometown of Hyderabad and the third has permanently relocated to the USA. “We were hired through a third-party agency. We came to know that there were certain financial discrepancies with the agency, and hence our contract was not renewed in Apr 2022. None of the present members of the heritage cell have training from UNESCO,” one of these officials said.
Lack of trained officials threatens Jaipur’s 300-year-old heritage | Jaipur News
