A hertiage house in Ahmedabad
The rejuvenation of heritage cities is one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's priorities. Though the list does not include Ahmedabad for the moment, the city's Municipal Corporation has drawn up a list of nearly 12,000 heritage buildings which include temples, mosques and private homes reflecting different architectural traditions of great beauty and style.
Along with modern structures like the Indian Institute of Management and the Physical Research Laboratory designed by international architects like Louis Kahn and Frank Lloyd Wright, Ahmedabad is the only city which spans the traditional and modern in architecture.>
As heritage conservation laws lack teeth, the civic body plans to develop a scheme which will pay owners to preserve heritage houses. Abhay Mangaldas, an hotelier, says 'We have proposed to the Government is to make a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The idea of a SEZ is that there are very specific taxes plus incentives for businesses or enterprises which run in such a location'.
Rajiv Patel, Head of the City Heritage Centre recently bought the Diwanji ni Haveli hopes to promote the space as a cultural centre and wants to involve the neighbourhood with the same. Initiatives like these which involve the local community are essential if the city's unique heritage needs to be preserved.