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Heritage lovers hail step

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 22. Welcoming the stay on further construction of the Police Memorial at Shantipath by the Delhi High Court today, heritage lovers across the city have termed it a step in the right direction.

Expressing "happiness'' over the decision of the Delhi High Court, the convenor of Indian National Trust for Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Delhi Chapter, O.P Jain who initiated a citizen's campaign against the Police Memorial, said: "I am glad to see that it has became a people's issue. It is surprising though that projects like this and the Taj Corridor keep happening in the country in spite of a number of agencies in place to prevent ugly and unplanned growth in the heritage areas. I am sure that there are many other cases like this, but only a few have come into focus. It is a pity that such mistakes are stopped only by the court."

Pointing out that it was important for a building not to destroy the fabric of Lutyens' legacy, the petitioner and noted journalist, B.G Verghese, said: "I used to pass this way every day and see the ugly tower becoming higher and higher, obstructing the view of Rastrapati Bhavan. I have no quarrel against the Police Memorial, which is a noble cause. However, it should be in harmony with the surroundings. It is especially important now that the Lutyens' Zone is being proposed as a world city to UNESCO."

Blocking the view of Rastrapati Bhavan from Shantipath, the Police Memorial violates the building norms of the Lutyens' Zone. With the laws strictly stating that no building should be higher than a tree, the Police Memorial is more than two times the height permitted in this zone. Expressing relief over the court's decision, art historian, Shobhita Punja, said: "It is wonderful news. These are really unfortunate things that happened in the country like the Taj Corridor. Why doesn't anyone care for the beauty of the Capital."

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