Govt must step up efforts to protect our heritage: INTACH
When INTACH did an inventory of heritage buildings in Bengaluru in 1985, there were around 823 iconic structures. "By 2015, that number dwindled to 354. It could be much less now," says Aravind Chandramohan, co-convener of the Bengaluru Chapter of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Aravind notes that Bengalureans, over the past 10 years or so, have become more aware of heritage structures in the city — a fact that can be validated by the growing success of guided inner city tours and heritage walks. "It is high time the govt stepped up its efforts to conserve remaining structures in the city," he says.
A chunk of the structures that have disappeared over the years are residences. "There are around 100 govt buildings in Bengaluru that are heritage structures.
Apart from the routine painting and cleaning, nothing concrete is done to restore them."
INTACH has been at the forefront of restoring and conserving heritage structures in the city for several years now. Its key restoration works include Fort High School, Nimhans and Vani Vilas PU College. The team is now carrying out restoration work in the main building of the Bangalore Club and Beaulieu, a building on Palace Road housing the office of the Chief Post Master General.
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Apart from conserving and restoring heritage, INTACH conducts heritage walks and exhibitions to create awareness among the public. "Anything from the past can be considered as a heritage and we all should step up efforts to protect our legacy," says Aravind. Many of the heritage structures in the city are built with brick and lime mortar and not cement. "For many people in Bengaluru or southern Karnataka, Mysuru is the only city that has a legacy of heritage.
But, Bengaluru has its own share of heritage structures," reminds Aravind.
INTACH focuses mainly on structures that are not part of the Archaeological Survey of India. "We rope in contractors who are specialists in restoration. We have architects to guide them." Any restoration work would usually take a couple of months and if the structure is still functional, then carrying out the work without affecting the day-to-day working of the institution operating out of the building is a great challenge.
"For example, if it's a school, it just cannot be shut down for a long period," he says.
While INTACH has worked with the govt on a couple of occasions, most of their projects are funded by the public. Arvind says there are generally two ways to restore heritage structures — either adaptively reuse existing heritage buildings or restore them to their original purpose. The way forward is adaptively reusing heritage structures as it is commercially viable, but it should be done sensitively, he says.
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