INTACH readies final heritage circuit plans

After an outline of the plans was presented late last year,the L-G had asked for a detailed proposal of all the routes in the Circuit.

“We have worked out the details of all eight routes,including costing,engineering plans and route maps. Though the plans are all in place,both the L-G as well as INTACH recognises the need for an umbrella agency for implementation of the project,” said A G K Menon,Convenor,Delhi Chapter,INTACH.

The non-profit organisation had signed a MoU with the Ministry of Tourism last year to develop the Heritage Circuit and had also prepared detailed maps of the Circuit route leading from Red Fort to Humayun’s Tomb. A stretch on this route,from Delhi Gate to ITO,has already been sanctioned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in January as reported by the Newsline.

“The larger idea of getting a heritage city status for the Capital is,however,only possible when the entire city is included in the Circuit,” said Menon.

“As of now,different civic agencies like the MCD,NDMC and the DDA are working in their respective areas without proper coordination between them. Each of them has its own set of signages and lighting,while the basic concept of the Heritage Circuit is to give the city a cohesive and cognitive image,” he added.

“Most other heritage cities in the World have specific symbols for recall; one can similarly be developed for Delhi too. Even for heritage structures here,we can use brown signages,like the ones used across the globe. This will help foreign tourists identify with the structures and at the same time develop a cognitive image of the city using a similar pattern in signages. A single pattern of lighting can also be used for the entire city,” Menon said.

While INTACH officials said the LG was supportive of the proposal and has decided to get agencies to discuss the project,sources in the L-G office maintained that the project is still at a concept level.

“The project involves various civic agencies with the route running across the city. There has to be an umbrella agency for its implementation. The decision also lies with the civic agencies and needs their initiative,” an official at the LG’s office said.