Heritage panel’s nod to new Parl complex

The Heritage Conversation Committee (HCC) headed by the additional secretary of the ministry of housing and urban affairs on Monday gave its nod for the new Parliament complex set to come up under the Central Vista redevelopment project. “The proposal has been cleared by the committee today,” housing ministry secretary Durga Shankar said, adding that no public hearing was mandatory before granting approval. The Supreme Court had dismissed a clutch of petitions against the redevelopment project while holding that the government and agencies fulfilled all legal requirements in altering the land use and in obtaining the environmental clearances. The existing Parliament building and campus is listed as a Grade-1 heritage site and petitioners had argued any construction on the new site would be liable to the same level of scrutiny as a Grade-1 structure.

NEW DELHI: The Heritage Conversation Committee ( HCC) headed by the additional secretary of the ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Monday gave its nod for the new Parliament complex set to come up under the Central Vista redevelopment project.

“The proposal has been cleared by the committee today. It was sent a few days ago, discussed and cleared,” housing ministry secretary Durga Shankar said at a press conference. Shankar said that no public hearing was mandatory before granting approval.

“The 14-member committee is headed by the additional secretary in the ministry. There are also different officers from other organisations and experts from outside. They are the ones who look into what is provided under unified building bylaws for preserving the heritage. It is on the basis of these that they accept, reject or suggest certain modifications. This was examined today and was cleared after a detailed discussion,” Shankar, who is not a member of the committee, said.

The Supreme Court last week dismissed a clutch of petitions against the redevelopment project while holding that the government and its agencies fulfilled all legal requirements in altering the land use of the seven plots in the area, and in obtaining the environmental clearances for constructing the new Parliament building.

In a 2:1 majority verdict, the apex court held that the government must seek a “formal written prior permission” of the HCC before commencing development work on plot number 118 (where the new 60,000-sq ft Parliament building is expected to come up).

The existing Parliament building and campus, on the adjoining plot number 116, is listed as a Grade-1 heritage site by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and petitioners had argued that any construction on the new site would be liable to the same level of scrutiny as Grade-1 structure.

“If and when the project proponent seeks clarification/ permission of HCC before commencing work on plot No. 118, the HCC is free to examine the same on its own merits by following procedure prescribed thereof,” the judgment read.

On January 8, Union housing minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said the ministry had sent its proposal for clearance to the committee.