Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Amendments to town planning Act mooted

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amen- dments have been mooted to the Town and Country Planning Act for conserving heritage structures and monuments and preventing their wanton destruction for constructing commercial and residential buildings.

Statutory rules with stringent punitive provisions have been proposed against those destroying such structures. Involvement of local self-government institutions (LSGIs) has also been sought for implementing the conservation plan.

The Town and Country Planning Department has suggested the amendments as a follow-up to the drive launched by the department to identify the heritage structures, monuments and zones according to a resolution of the Art and Heritage Commission. The commission which has Local Administration Secretary T.K. Jose as chairman and Chief Town Planner Eapen Varughese as member-secretary decided to collect the data and the department took up the challenge to complete it in a time-bound manner. The department has identified around 1,200 heritage buildings, monuments and streets all over the State and digitised the data.

Department sources told The Hindu that the drive has revealed the importance of amending the Act without any delay. While collecting the details, it has been found that many heritage buildings have been converted into bar hotels and instead of strengthening or renovating old churches, some of them have been indiscriminately razed for the construction of huge concrete structures. This has been detected mainly in the Malabar region. `Agraharams’ too are facing the threat of extinction. Multi-storeyed apartments have come up in place of the row of traditional houses at the `agraharam’ in Palakkad.

Lack of statutory rules has been pointed out as the main reason for such thoughtless destruction. The involvement of LSGIs is expected to thwart such attempts in future. In addition to the Plan funds, it has been suggested to provide Central and State governments’ funds to the LSGIs for taking up the task of conservation. The proposed amendments to the Act are expected to empower the civic bodies. Construction of new buildings will be regulated in such zones.

The amended Act will have provisions to provide funds for strengthening and maintaining heritage structures owned by individuals and institutions. Assistance would be given for restoring dilapidated buildings. Curbs would be imposed on altering the shape and making fresh additions that would change the basic nature of such buildings. Construction of new buildings too would be regulated. But it has been recommended to give concessions in floor area ratio and Kerala Municipal Building Rules for eligible cases in consultation with the heritage committee, sources said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

AIE to operate 11 non-stop flights to Gulf countries
Amendments to town planning Act mooted
K. Govinda Pillai dead
Drop hartal plan, UDF told
New hospital
A novel experience for schoolchildren
VS’ convoy disrupted
Poor response to motor bandh
Control room opened
Aircraft maintenance base work from March 1
University centre at Karyavattom burgled
Demystifying the art of diplomacy
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu