Heritage Conservation Committee

minutes of the 72nd meeting of the Heritage Conservation Committee held on 31-1-07

72nd Meeting:Minutes

DATE: 31st January 2007

TIME : 3.00 P.M.

Office of the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority,

PaigahPalace, S.P.Road, Secunderabad-500 003.

The following were present:

Sri G.P. Rao, Chairman

Sri V. Raghavan, Member

Sri A. Siva Prasad, Member

Dr V.V.Krishna Sastry

Sri Sushil Kumar, Member

Mrs Frauke Quader, Member

Sri B Narsing Rao, Member

Syed Muzaffar Hussain, Director House Numbering and Chief City Planner, MCH, representing Additional Commissioner, MCH (ex-officio Member)

Sri S.P.Shorey, Member Secretary.

Sri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Vice Chairman HUDA attended the meeting as a Special Invitee.

Leave of absence was granted toSri Anwar Aziz,Director of State Archaeology, Government of Andhra Pradesh andSuperintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India,.

Item no 1.

Confirmation of the minutes of the 71stmeeting of Heritage Conservation Committee held on 21st Dec 2006.

Minutes were confirmed.

Item no 2.

a. Training Programme in conservation and maintenance of Heritage Buildings for Government engineers and architects.

It was noted that after the budget was approved by the board of HUDA , the Vice Chairman confirmed the programme to the School of Planning and Architecture New Delhi. In the meeting it was brought to the notice of the committee that a Fax message was received from the SPA infirming that the revised dates of the training programme will be 21st to 24th March 2007. This was agreed by the Committee.

As earlier suggested by the committee two members representing the School of Planning and Architecture New Delhi, namely Professor Anuradha Chaturvedi and Sri R. Gundu Rao visited Hyderabad on 30th January to select appropriate Heritage Building sites for practical training in conservation for the participants. They met the members of Heritage Conservation Committee in the meeting and broadly explained the format of the programme.

b. Financial assistance for heritage building conservation from Government of India Tourism Department for Government owned notified Heritage Buildings.

It was noted that project reports for two projects namely CityCollege and Nizamia Observatory were sent to the office of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation for onward transmission to the Government of India through the Secretary to Government Tourism Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The project report for James Street Police Station is also prepared and will be similarly sent to APTTDC after obtaining signatures of concerned SEs etc.

c. Proposals for development of Hillock under Heritage Precinct no 2, notified as RockPark vide GO Ms no 102 MA dated 23-3-98.

The Committee was informed that the Standing counsel of HUDA wanted some more time to prepare the Review Petition on Cine Workers case. It was suggested that if this was not done before the next meeting then HUDA may engage the services of some other advocate for this task.

Item no 3.

New Rock Sites proposed for listing.

This matter had earlier been discussed over five meetings of the Heritage Conservation Committee and several site inspections were made. Of the 11 sites notified it was suggested to drop one site. In the meeting the following statement regarding the remaining ten sites was placed reflecting the suggestions made by the Committee in various meetings:

Table containing the details of additional ten Heritage Precincts to be sent to Government for final notification.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Sl.No / Name / Location / Approx. Extent / Reasons for notification / Guidelines
1. / Rocks on which Dargah Moula Ali, Dargah Hazrat Khadme Rasool and Dargah Bibi Kohe Batul are situated. / Village: Malkajgiri,
Survey No. 403, 420 to 426- / Entire survey numbers having
168.36 Acres / Situated in a rapidly growing locality, these massive sheet rocks and hills
have great scenic, environmental, cultural and city- landmark value. / All buildings taller than 4 (four) meters and/or more than one floor in height and all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
2. / Sentinel Rock, south of Moula Ali Dargah. / Village: Malkajgiri
Survey No: 399,400,401. / Entire survey numbers having 43.54 Acres / This rock formation and the surrounding area have great aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings taller than 4 (four) meters and/or more than one floor in height and all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
3. / Skull Rock at Madhapur opposite TCS complex / Village Madhapur, Survey No.64, Near Phase II HiTech City
Presently inside
L & T Godown. / 10m all around the rock formation. / This unusual rock formation has considerable aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
4. / Hamburger Rock in the campus of National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management. / Village Gachibowli, Survey No.71 & 91. Behind Telcom Nagar, can be seen from road leading to UrduUniversity. / 30m all around the rock formation / This piled-up pillow like rock formation has considerable aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
5. / Rocks on which Dargah Paharee-Shareef is situated,
covering the entire hillock & 100 meters area all around the foothills / Village Mamidipally, parts of Survey No. 99/1, 99/2, on Srisailam Road. / Entire hillock and foot hills. / Situated in a rapidly growing locality, these massive sheet rocks and hills
have great scenic, environmental, cultural and city- landmark value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
6. / ‘United-we-Stand’- rock formation in M.A.UrduUniversity campus. / Village Manikonda Jagir, Survey No. 211 & 212. / 50m all around the rock formation. / These balancing rock formations have considerable aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
7. / Pathar-Dil rock formation in M.A.UrduUniversity campus. / Village Manikonda Jagir, Survey No. 211 & 212. / 50m all around the rock formation. / These rock formations have considerable aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
8. / Kaithalapur Rocks, Moosapet area. / Village: Moosapet.
Survey.No.81,89,101/1, 102,103, 104,107 to 112,
between IDL /Gulf Oil campus (N) and Railway tracks / 83.9 Acres / These rock formations have considerable aesthetic and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.
9. / Rocks around Peeran Shah Wali Dargah near A.PPoliceAcademy, Village: Peerancheruvu.
Survey No. 24, Behind Snehita Colony layout on Himayatsagar Road. 200 mt around the Dargah of which there shall be no construction within 100 meters and construction with specific clearance of the Heritage Conservation Committee within 100 m to 200 m provided such construction is permissible at the site under land use and building regulations and permission from competent authorities is obtained. / Village: Peerancheruvu
Survey No. 24.
Behind Snehita Colony layout on Himayatsagar Road. / 200 mt around the Dargah, / These rock formations have considerable aesthetic, cultural and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view as detailed in column 1.
10 / Ridge behind Malkam Cheruvu, Old Bombay road.
Rocks in sy no 66/1 and 66/2 in village Raidurg Navkhalsa. / Village: Raidurg Navkhalsa. Survey No. 66/1 & 66/2
Around Malkam Cheruvu lake. / Off Old Bombay road / The rock formations and the hill slope have considerable aesthetic, skyline and environmental value. / All buildings & all Layouts in this Heritage Precinct will need to be referred to Vice Chairman HUDA & Heritage Conservation Committee for clearance from heritage point of view.

The Committee examined the above table and after detailed discussions proposed the following changes to the table:

Part / Change suggested / Reasons.
Sl. no 1 –
Moula Ali Dargah / In column 6 delete the phrase “ taller than 4 (four) meters and /or more than one floor in height”. / The committee felt that as in the case of other sites, it may be better to look in to the aesthetic aspects of all constructions in the Heritage Precincts irrespective of the height of the structures.
Sl no 2 Sentinel Rock / In column 6 delete the phrase “ taller than 4 (four) meters and /or more than one floor in height”. / The committee felt that as in the case of other sites, it may be better to look in to the aesthetic aspects of all constructions in the Heritage Precincts irrespective of the height of the structures.
Sl. no 5.- Dargah Paharee Shareef / In column 3– replace the present entry by the following: “Village Mamidipally, parts of survey no 90, 91, 92, 95, 96 99/1 & 99/2 alongSrisailam Road.”
In column 4 replace the present entry by the following:
Entire Hillock and 100 meters area around the foot hills. / In the meeting it was brought to notice that the area covered some more survey numbers.
Sl no 9 -Rocks around Peeran Shah Wali Dargah. / In column 2 retain only the following:
“Rocks around Peeran Shah Wali Dargah near A.PPoliceAcademy, Village: Peerancheruvu. Survey No. 24 part.”
In column 2 re-phrase the entry as follows:
“Village Peeran Cheruvu, sy no 24 part between phasesI & II of ‘Snehita Hill Colony’ on Himayatsagar road.”
In column 3
Re-phrase the entry as follows:
‘ Within 100 meters from the periphery of the Dargah there shall be a buffer zone in which no construction shall be allowed. From 100 meters to 200 meters from the periphery of the Dargah clearance from Heritage Conservation Committee shall be mandatory. / The descriptions were re-drafted for the sake of clarity. No change made to the site boundaries.
Sl no 10 / Deferred / Deferred for further clarifications regarding exact survey numbers. The intention was to retain only the eastern hill slopes and foot hill areas abutting the lake overlooking the Old Bombay Road in pockets to the south of the Khajaguda road.

It was suggested that proposals may be sent to Government for final notification of the 9 Heritage Precincts excluding the Heritage Precinct at sl no 10,the proposal for which will be sent later.
Further, for all sites the following suffix will be added in column 6:“provided such construction is permissible at the site under land use and building regulations and appropriate permission from competent authorities is obtained”.

Item no 4.

OldGandhiMedicalCollegeBuildingCase.

Based on W.P. no 25950 of 2006 filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, the Heritage Conservation Committee was requested to inspect the site and submit report to the court. Accordingly a fresh inspection of the site were made on 10th January 2007. The report of the Heritage Conservation Committee dated 12th January and a supplementary report dated 17th January 2007 were submitted to the Court. A special meeting of the Heritage Conservation Committee was convened on 17th January 2007.

Subsequently a letter was received from Director of Archaeology, Government of Andhra Pradesh to communicate certain directions of the Hon’ble High Court asking HUDA & MCH to remove ‘all offending structures near and attached to the Heritage Buildings’. The committee suggested to wait for the orders of the High Court based on which action can be taken by appropriate authorities.

Item no 5.

Change of Land Use case in Heritage Precincts at Banjara Hills.

The site was inspected by members on 29th January 2007. The Committee deferred the matter further, pending receipt of detailed information from Sri Muzaffar Hussain Director (HN) MCH and HUDA on the permissions granted for commercial complexes by MCH and changes of land use to commercial on the road no 11 made by the Government. Sri Hussain promised to submit the information in the next meeting.

The case was therefore deferred.

New Items.

Item no 6.

Proposed construction of additions and alterations to the existing HeritageBuildingRitzHotelsl no 94 code 3.07 Grade III. forwarded by Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad vide letter no 14/TP-6/2007 dated 19-01-07 enclosing building pans.

Plans and letter were received on 23rd January 2007. An earlier re-development proposal of the Ritz Hotel complex had been examined by the Heritage Conservation Committee in their 38th meetingheld on 2-5-2003and the last letter on the subject was issued by Vice Chairman HUDA on 25-5-2003 based on the views of the Committee. With reference to a different set of plans submitted in 2003, the Committee had opined that the ‘height of the new blocks proposed to the north shall not be more than the level of the foreground of the hotel at the main entrance and that the proposed additions to the side wings shall have height in line with the existing old blocks and not exceeding that. Within this framework the internal changes were permitted without causing any damage to the structure and with original material and workmanship.”

The present proposal was based on a different set of plans although the height limit of the old building was adhered to.

As a continuation of the 72nd meeting the members visited the site on 1-2-07 and the developers and their architects made a detailed presentation to the committee at site both with regard to conservation works to the old structures as well as the proposals of adding new structures in the premises to accommodate the proposed hotel.

The committee noted that the new blocks were proposed on the North, East and South whereas the entry was from the west. The new blocks were almost merged in to the old structures in such a way that parts of the old HeritageBuilding can be viewed only from the front and rear. The committee suggested that it would be desirable to modify the plns slightly so that the exterior of the old HeritageBuilding is seen from all four sides since the sides have architectural features of considerable merit.

After detailed discussions with the developers and their architects the committee made the following suggestions:

Developers should submit revised proposals and plans in such a way that the new blocks on three sides maintain a minimum of 5 meters set back from the old HeritageBuilding.
For this purpose respective levels of the new block can be connected with the old building by way of bridges.
The revised plans should also clearly mark the parts of the old buildings to be demolished. Such parts would mainly be later additions which may be inconsistent with the heritage value of the property. This plan should be accompanied by a statement describing the portions to be demolished duly correlated with the plans.
The architectural style of the new blocks shall be in harmony with the scale, rhythm, texture and dominant features of the old building although it will not be necessary to copy or replicate the ornamentations and motifs of the old buildings.
The committee suggested that the developers may start urgent internal conservation works to the old buildings in order to prevent further deterioration of the structures. The conservation proposals presented through a report in the meeting were generally agreed.

Based on the revised plans that are to be submitted by developers the committee will examine the proposals further in the next meeting.

Item no 7.

Letters from the Government in MA & UD Department seeking not to link the violation of regulations /conditions at adjoining properties in respect of apartment complex atGunfoundry adjoining the Imaad Jung Bungalow, a notified HeritageBuilding.

The Government have sought remarks of Vice Chairman HUDA on the above issue. The committee requested the officers of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad present in the meeting to submit a report within a week about the status of the court case and after approaching the Hon’ble High court that the lower courts granted stay to violating structures in spite of the directions of the High Court to the Contrary.

Item no 8.

Request from Collector Hyderabad for permitting demolition of MahboobMansion, a notified HeritageBuilding sl no 50 code no 2.52 Grade IIB.

Vide letter no LP1/4172/06 dated 7-11-06 the Collector & District Magistrate, Hyderabad District has requested for permission to demolish the MahboobMansion a notified HeritageBuilding.

The case was deferred for inspection on 14th February 2007 after gathering at the HUDA office at Begumpet at 09-30 hours..

Item no 9.

Proposal for engaging professional photographer for publication of guide on Heritage Buildings – from Sri R. Veeresh Babu, freelance photographer.

Members noted the proposal received. It was suggested that PR department of HUDA may take further necessary action by following the requisite procedure to engage a competent photographer keeping in view the two offers received and also the fact that for the publication of the guide very high quality photographs are required.

Item no 10.

Letter from Sri S. Aziz-ul-Haq regarding illegal construction at Vikhar Manjil.

The officers of the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad present in the meeting were requested to inform about action taken against the illegal construction. The Committee may also inspect the site.

Item no 11

Proposed construction of stilt plus two floors in premises no 20-4-214/23,24,25 & 26 at Khilwat near Charminar, Hyderabad –forwarded by MCH vide letter no 09/RW/C2/2006/323 dated 13-11-2006.

The committee will inspect the site on 14th February 2007.

Item no 12

Proposal for delisting the Monty’s HotelBuilding at Secunderabad from the list of Heritage Buildings- letter addressed to Principal Secretary to Government, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department.

This may be inspected on 14-2-07.

Item no 13.

Proposal from Secretary to Government Tourism department to denotify 1.50 acres of land from the Heritage Precinct no 15 around Durgam Cheruvu Lake to enable setting up of 3 Star Hotel.