Bullish on India: By 2047, India must respect heritage conservation and environment as much as development

Mumbai-based conservation architect Vikas Dilawari.

Free India is 77 years old and has progressed significantly in all fields but when it comes to conservation of lived-in built heritage it lacks behind for several reasons. "I see India as among the developed nation in 2047, and by then I also want to see that conservation of lived-in built environment and natural environment are respected equally as development," says Mumbai-based conservation architect Vikas Dilawari, who has restored many landmarks — from St Andrews Church, The Royal Bombay Yacht Club, and Wellington Fountain to, most recently, the repair and restoration of the Ashley and Somerset House, a 1930s residential building in Colaba, Mumbai.

With 18 of his projects having won UNESCO Asia Pacific awards for heritage conservation in South East Asia, Dilawari was also instrumental with INTACH Mumbai Chapter to nominate CSMT or erstwhile VT station as a World Heritage Site (WHS) in 2004.

"Ours is a country with one of the oldest continuous surviving civilisation and, hence, it is essential we retain this with grace. Conscious efforts are required by the government and public to protect and conserve our built heritage. This would mean increasing awareness, legislating new laws for its protection and reconfiguring and redesigning our built and natural environments to respond to the challenge of climate change," he says, "Much before we hit the 2047 milestone, we should have strict environmental and monumental laws that should not be diluted at any cost."

In conservation there some doctrines that need to be followed. It is better to maintain than repair; it is better to repair than reconstruct. Both built and natural environment have relationship with one another, which is what makes it a significant place and it is this significance that needs to be respected completely.

Urban renewal should be the keyword, he adds, which should have conservation, adaptive reuse of existing heritage redundant or underutilised buildings, and infill, addition, and redevelopment, too, but in a context. Rather than building new buildings and institutions if the existing ones are strengthened, looked after and maintained it would be major achievement.

"Encourage good urban design and sensitive development in built environment, taking care of the needs but arresting greed. Quick permissions should be given to sensitive repairs for the needs," he says further, adding that "historic buildings are climate friendly, low-impact and energy-efficient. Instead of pulling them down, the aim should be retro-fitting them with modern technology."

There needs to be a full-fledged conservation ministry to protect urban areas where both built and natural heritage are taken into account. The intrinsic value encompassed by heritage buildings becomes an authentic collective database of timeless ways of living, which if lost cannot be retrieved again. These historic districts should be conserved to incubate, disseminate local cultural practices. The philosophy of minimum intervention and respecting the cultural significance in all intervention should be the key in all projects.

"Beautification, unfortunately, is what is gaining importance and that is different from conservation but that’s rarely understood by the bureaucrat who is there for a short term. The best compliment in conservation is 'what have you done?' It means that you respected the first person’s creation and played the role of second man," he says.

Use of solar energy, water harvesting, and use of local materials encouraging revival of traditions help in holistically conserving a larger ecosystem is the need of the hour. As well as enhancement of skills and employment to artisans. "Our country has some of best craftsmanship skills unparalleled in the world and we should tap and encourage that. We have had smart cities but we would love to see heritage cities where heritage would be engine of growth allowing sensitive development all around. Our erstwhile and present  union territories like Delhi, Diu, Chandigarh and Puducherry have abundant heritage which should be capitalised and administered well," he adds.

Removal or modification of Rent Control Act is the need of the hour. Rent Control Act is the singular factor that prevents good maintenance that is the prerequisite for any conservation movement and, hence, throughout the country our cities look rundown as these were introduced post World War II to prevent the landlords from exploiting or dis-housing the tenants but decades have passed and as it now affects the tenants. "Redevelopment of old buildings is the easiest option but had repairs been encouraged on the same scale we would have been able to save phenomenal resources endorsing sustainability and there would be no load on the already fragile century-old infrastructure consisting of water supply, drainage, roads, open spaces, etc.," Dilawari says.

Beyond better participation from the government, the future of heritage conservation will depend on involvement of corporates as well as individuals. Plus, enough awareness about heritage should be generated among the youth. Awareness comes when it is taught young and when sense of pride is reinstated. The social media is already playing that role. So much more historical and archival information is now available on the internet.  Conservation should be included in school/college curriculum. The bureaucrats’ training should include conservation, environment and sustainability which are three key components that will matter in next 25 years.

Healthy architectural competitions should be floated to tap the best talents nationally and internationally depending upon the significance of the building or area to see it revitalise itself and its surrounding and that quality of life is maintained.