New Delhi: The structure had disappeared even before it was demolished.
A decrepit 17th century domed structure – known as a ‘chhatri’ – that had long fallen off the map of Union government and state archaeology departments has been pushed off entirely from the records, the latest in a long list of structures disappearing from the capital’s map. Situated at Lothian Road, Kashmere Gate, adjacent to the old St Stephens’ College building, the structure was housed in a sprawling complex with trees over a 100 years old.
Locals claim it could have been a temple. A chhatri is usually a covered resting place situated next to a well. The area is replete with structures protected either by the Union or the Delhi governments, including Nicholson’s Cemetery and St James Church.
The structure was demolished recently and has been replaced by a commercial building. No government agency is willing to say who allowed the heritage structure to be demolished. An analysis of the role of each agency involved reveals how government departments often help a historical structure disappear.
The structure at Lothian Road, Kashmere Gate. Photo: By arrangement.
No idea about structure: MCD
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s office, incidentally, is next door to the demolished structure. The agency not only saw nothing amiss when the dome was being demolished but even sanctioned a building plan submitted by the private company that now owns it.
But Deputy Commissioner of the City-SP Zone, Vandana Rao, told The Wire that she had no idea about this structure. “Any development that takes place with regards to a heritage property has to be in consonance with heritage norms,” she said.
When told that the structure has already been demolished, she said, “I will examine and act as per the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act.”
‘ASI wrote to DC’
The state archaeology department was aware of the demolition and admitted so to The Wire. Sources in the Delhi circle of ASI said that when officials learnt that the structure was to be demolished, the ASI sent a team to the spot. However, since it is not a protected monument, the team could only apprise state government agencies and not take any action to stop the demolition. “A conservation assistant had written a letter to the deputy commissioner and the sub-divisional magistrate concerned apprising them of the pending demolition but nothing was done,” an ASI source said.
An official spokesperson of the ASI also confirmed the fact that the body had written to the DC and the SDM about this demolition.
The structure at Lothian Road, Kashmere Gate. Photo: By arrangement.
NMA’s permission
There are enough checks and balances in place to stop the demolition of a heritage structure even if it is not protected. One such agency tasked with guarding heritage is the National Monuments Authority. Interestingly, the NMA gave permission to carry out alterations to an existing structure last year. While applying for permission, the new owner did not inform the NMA that a heritage structure already exists at the site or that the structure would be demolished entirely and a new building constructed in its place. The NMA’s permission is mandatory for structures within the walled city area or where monuments are located nearby under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Once permission is sought, the rules dictate that a “competent authority” – a regional director of the ASI – gets a physical survey of the property done before giving clearance.
A copy of this survey report is also forwarded to the officer-in-charge of the state ASI circle where the property is situated. If, instead of carrying out additions and alterations (for which permission was sought), the private entity tries to demolish and reconstruct the building, the local ASI officer is required to file a first information report. The officer is also required to report to the NMA so it can withdraw permission.
The ASI spokesperson said, “This is not a centrally protected monument. However, the Delhi circle official has already drawn the attention of the DM Delhi by writing to him about the demolition.”
Deputy Commissioner Vandana Rao, quoted earlier as having said that she was not aware of the structure, did not respond to subsequent questions sent by The Wire on whether officials from her office conducted a field visit and how they came to give permission to build a new structure when the NMA had only permitted that alterations and repairs be carried out.
Also read: Conserving India’s Heritage, Modi Style: ‘Adopt’ a Monument, and Build a Restaurant in It
MCD heritage cell and building department wash hands off structure
The MCD heritage cell which gives its nod once NMA approval is given appears equally clueless. Sanjeev Singh, executive engineer at the MCD heritage cell said this was not his domain. “Please talk to the building department. This is not my area. I have no idea about any of these buildings,” he said.
The structure at Lothian Road, Kashmere Gate. Photo: By arrangement.
The building department of the zone concerned has been equally adept at passing the buck. Rajaram Meena, the assistant engineer who sanctioned the building plan that replaced the heritage structure, says he had no involvement in the exercise. “The party applied for permission with building plans directly to the headquarters and the sanctions were also issued directly by headquarters. I have no role in any of this.”
When this reporter pointed out that as per documents, it is he who gave the go ahead and forwarded the sanction plan to headquarters, Meena disconnected the call.
Prashant Agarwal, the owner of the property said, “There was a well here and this is the chattri of the well. There is no proof that there was a temple here like people are saying.”
“We have checked with the ASI. There is no ancient monument and no trees have been cut. We have permission to construct,” he said.
From Agarwal’s words, its clear that the local ASI office was very much in the know of the impending demolition as well as the private entity that planned to demolish it. And yet, once the demolition began, it limited itself to writing a letter to the authorities concerned.
Land politics
Historian Narayani Gupta is not surprised.
“Monuments add a charm to the place but all that people see is the land that will be made available once the structure goes. Referring to University of Tokyo professor Matsuo Ara who photographed the Islamic architecture of the Sultanate period in Delhi and elsewhere, she says, “Professor Ara had photographed Delhi in the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, when he revisited Delhi in the 1990s, nearly half of those monuments had disappeared.”
Kavita Sharma, former principal of the Hindu College and someone who has been spearheading attempts to renovate the old Hindu College building said that such efforts were a losing battle. “Even Skinners’ Palace [inhabited by James Skinner, British mercenary who raised the Skinners’ Regiment in the 1857 rebellion) was demolished to make way for the State Election Commission’s office and we are only trying to restore the remnants on the side. Such wanton destruction is terrible. The palace itself could have been modified to suit the needs of the Election Commission,” Sharma said.
Local activist Amarjit Singh highlights that the loss of dozens of trees, some a century-old, has incalculable repercussions.
“Construction is usually done at night and by stealth. We have often seen the MCD come and plaster a notice for illegal construction but those are ripped off and the construction continues. The demolition was done a year ago and now three storeys have already been built,” Singh said.
