Latest news with #DhavalJain
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Fresh heritage precinct proposal for KMC
1 2 3 4 Kolkata: Calcutta Architectural Legacies (CAL) and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) that have been nudging the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to accord heritage precinct status to historic neighbourhoods in Kolkata with significant built architecture have again submitted the proposal on Dalhousie Square and Bow Barracks. In addition, work on a dossier is underway to demarcate two other localities — Lake Temple Road and College Street — as precincts as well. The proposal on Dalhousie Square, now known as BBD Bag, had earlier been submitted to KMC in Sept 2024. CAL and INTACH resubmitted the proposal last week following a request by KMC commissioner Dhaval Jain. The dossier was prepared by architects Partha Ranjan Das and Kamalika Bose to give shape to a demand that CAL founder and writer Amit Chaudhuri has been raising to declare heritage precincts so that the city's unique built heritage can be preserved. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in Kolkata "We need to declare zones as heritage precincts to retain the character of these localities instead of focusing just on individual buildings," said Chaudhuri. INTACH that has been promoting heritage conservation in the city for decades has lent its weight to the proposal. INTACH and CAL had moved Calcutta High Court in 2019 with a PIL on the unilateral delisting of heritage buildings and later argued for the declaration of heritage precincts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo The HC had in Jan 2025 issued an order asking the state to approve the draft KMC rules for heritage buildings within 8 weeks. But there has been no headway on the issue yet. "Since the HC deadline has lapsed, KMC needs to urgently take it up with the state government and act on the matter," said GM Kapur of INTACH. Several other Indian cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Pondicherry, have heritage precincts that ensure that any new development does not alter the character of the zone. Speaking to TOI, conservation architect Das said the proposal maps the heritage precinct of Dalhousie Square and Bow Barracks and spells out building rules that will govern addition and alteration to existing buildings and addition of a fresh building in the precinct. "The proposal is not anti-development but regulated development so that the inherent character of the neighbourhood or precinct is retained," explained Das. CAL, which was set up around a decade ago by a group of like-minded citizens united in the common goal of working to prevent the disappearance of our city's distinctive residential neighbourhoods and other marks of modernity unique to Kolkata, has been advocating the need to declare zones as heritage precincts to retain the character of these localities instead of focusing just on individual buildings. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Focus on ward weather stns, clean air zones, AC temp as Kol launches climate action plan
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: In a defining moment for the city's sustainability goals, mayor Firhad Hakim on Thursday unveiled final draft of Kolkata Climate Action Plan (KCAP), calling it "not just a climate action plan but a survival plan for the city and its future generation". Dedicating it to the citizens of Kolkata, the mayor stressed the urgency of its successful implementation to safeguard the city's future against the growing climate risks. KCAP recommended implementation of ward-wise hyper-local weather stations, and upgraded disaster shelters to improve resilience against extreme weather events like cyclones and floods. The plan also includes a hyper-local early warning system, clean air zones based on hyper-local ambient air quality monitoring, and climate-smart slums by redesigning slums with a lot of green spaces. Prepared through collaboration between global and local climate experts and advocacy groups such as EnGIO (Environment Governed Integrated Organisation) and CANSA (Climate Action Network South Asia), KCAP includes 60 sector-specific recommendations, of which 30 have been prioritised for urgent, evidence-based implementation. "This is a set of self-imposed obligations with strict deadlines we have to live by," said KMC commissioner Dhaval Jain, referring to the plan's time-bound rollout. "This is a climate plan that targets emission reduction, inclusivity, and evidence-backed interventions," said Sujata Basu of EnGIO. Sanjay Vashist of CANSA said the recommendations align with global best practices while addressing Kolkata's unique vulnerabilities. With climate challenges looming large, Kolkata's ambitious plan seeks not only to mitigate emissions but also adapt its infrastructure and communities to the realities of a warming world. The KCAP draft will be available on its dedicated website for stakeholders' deliberations for two months. It encompasses several transformative actions like Heat Action Plan (HAP). Recognising Kolkata's status as one of the world's most heat-vulnerable cities, the plan includes city-wide temperature, humidity monitoring, green infrastructure, shaded intersections, reflective roads, and "heat units" in hospitals. A formal K-HAP is proposed by 2026, with full implementation by 2030. Climate-smart slums are envisaged through pilot projects for solarisation, green spaces, and heat-resilient housing. Air conditioning control, a city-level AC temperature policy, is proposed to cap indoor temperatures at 22–24°C. Clean air zones & monitoring are planned to combat rising pollution. Urban mobility and decongestion will be planned with dedicated cycle tracks, no-vehicle streets, and pedestrian-friendly zones. Green infrastructure mapping will focus on mapping of trees, parks, and water bodies. Water management and decentralised waste processing have also been given priority.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
No regn of structures on rooftops, says KMC
1 2 Kolkata: After deciding not to sanction structures on terraces of multi-storeyed residential and commercial buildings and declining mutation of open roofs/rooftops/terraces, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has requested the inspector general of registration and commissioner of stamp revenue to stop registration of deeds for the transfer, conveyance, or sale of rooftops or terraces. Municipal commissioner Dhaval Jain wrote to the IG (Registration) on Tuesday, urging him to ensure that terrace properties are not registered. Jain informed the IG (Registration) that Rule 117 (4) of the KMC Building Rules (2009) that states, "Every terrace on the topmost storey of any building shall have a common access and shall not be subdivided." It also pointed out that access to the terrace through the staircase and common corridors should be unhindered to avoid untoward incidents like fire hazards. Mayor Firhad Hakim has been vocal against sale of terraces in buildings and said they should be used only as a fire refuge. "We should take a lesson from the fire that broke out on Park Street last June. I still shudder when I think about the deaths when a fire engulfed Stephen Court and those inside found the door to the rooftop locked," Hakim said. Several rooftop restaurants have been served notices after the fire at a hotel near Mechhua wholesale fruit market. Though 14 people died in the fire, many more lives were saved because people could take refuge in the terrace. KMC then started a crackdown on restaurants and lounges operating from rooftops.
