A Tale of Two Cities - Mumbai & Bengaluru

How can Bangalore do more to preserve its dwindling heritage ?

Looking at successful heritage initiatives and measures taken by Bombay - Learning from Leaders.

Zoom Talk 17 Sept 2024 4 pm: A Tale of Two Cities - Blr & Bby

with Brinda Somaya, renowned archtect & conservationist

The moderator Priya Chetty- Rajagopal was keen to understand from the speaker

• How and where Bombay Heritage succeeded - Hindsight.

• What Bangalore needs to do now

• Templates for success

• Action points and go forward for Bangalore

Quick recap

The meeting focused on initiatives to preserve Bangalore's heritage, with discussions on the importance of documentation, collaboration with the government, and the role of architectural schools in contributing to the project. The team also discussed the impact of infrastructure development on historic parts of Bangalore and the need to save historic areas, with a focus on public discussion and involvement in city planning decisions. Lastly, they discussed the importance of organizing and empowering citizens to protect their city's heritage, and the need for more volunteers to be involved in their initiatives.

Next steps

• Heritage Beku to create a list of 20-25 key heritage buildings/sites in Bangalore to prioritize for preservation efforts.

• Heritage Beku to get more information & clarity on the ownership of heritage efforts or set up of Heritage Conservation Committee for Bangalore. At present it seems vested within the BDA , and not the BBMP . Without this granularity its tough to move forward .

• Bakul to prepare a short note on previous heritage documentation initiatives done with architectural colleges and propose implementation plans to revive them.

• Heritage Beku to explore partnerships with architectural colleges in Bangalore to involve students in heritage documentation projects.

• Priya to follow up with BDA Commissioner on listing government buildings as heritage structures.

• Heritage Beku to work on establishing a presence and formal role within the Bangalore municipal corporation for heritage conservation efforts.

• Alyia to explore collaborating with Visvesvaraya's grandson on initiatives related to his 160th birth anniversary next year.

• Heritage Beku to pursue partnerships with the Institution of Engineers and TICCIH on industrial heritage conservation efforts.

Summary:

Heritage Preservation Initiatives in Bangalore

The meeting discussed initiatives to preserve Bangalore's heritage. Priya highlighted contributions from Vijay Bhaskar, Alyia Krumbiegel , and Laxmi, who was assigned as a co-host. Priya welcomed the well known Brinda Somaya, an expert in conservation from Mumbai,(and born in Bangalore to share her experiences and insights to improve heritage preservation efforts in Bangalore.

Preserving Mumbai's Heritage and Conservation Efforts

Brinda discussed the importance of preserving and conserving the city of Mumbai, highlighting the role of a group of committed individuals from different backgrounds in the early 2000s. She mentioned the formation of the Bombay Environment Action Group (BEAG) and the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC), which played a crucial role in preserving the city's heritage. It was usually headed by a retired Chief Secretary, so navigation and impact were a given. Brinda also emphasized the significance of documentation in preservation, referring to the Pink Book (The Heritage Regulations of Greater Bombay 1995) with a 1000 buildings a comprehensive list of buildings and their characteristics. She noted that the MHCC is still functional, but its decisions can still be overruled by the Municipal Commissioner. Brinda also expressed concern about the demolition of grade 3 buildings, which she believes is due to the government's introduction of a repair cess caveat. She also talked about the Urban Design Research Institute ie UDRI and their role in research

Heritage Building Preservation Challenges in Bangalore

Brinda and Priya discussed the challenges of preserving heritage buildings in Bangalore, India. They acknowledged past failures and emphasized the need for a more cohesive approach, collaboration with the government, and a structured approach to heritage conservation. Brinda suggested focusing on a specific list of buildings to save and the importance of understanding the cultural, social, and architectural context of a project. Priya agreed and mentioned the need for a more structured approach, hands-on involvement, and collaboration with government entities. They also discussed the potential for positive change through collaboration and the importance of preserving Bangalore's unique architectural heritage.

Preserving Historical Buildings in Mumbai and Bangalore

Priya and Brinda discussed the preservation of historical buildings in Mumbai and Bangalore. Brinda highlighted the role of the government in saving and restoring historic buildings in Mumbai, and noted the lack of such buildings in Bangalore. She emphasized the importance of architectural landmarks in connecting people to a city, particularly in a city like Mumbai that is a hub for migrants. Her use of the word 'city markers' on heritage structures was quite impactful. Brinda suggested leveraging architectural schools in Bangalore to contribute to the project, as these students are the architects and planners of the future. Priya agreed, noting the presence of several architectural schools in Bangalore. Brinda also shared her past experience as the chairperson of the school of Planning in Vijaywadha, where she witnessed the students' impressive work in documentation and research.

Preserving Bangalore's Historic Areas and Infrastructure

Priya and Brinda discussed the impact of infrastructure development on historic parts of Bangalore, with Brinda expressing concern about the demolition of historic areas due to the construction of the metro. They agreed on the need to save historic parts of the city and emphasized the importance of public discussion and involvement in city planning decisions. They also reminisced about their childhood in Bangalore and the changes that have occurred in the city, discussing the preservation of historical sites and the ongoing efforts to protect them. The conversation ended with Brinda and Priya acknowledging their collective efforts and passion for their work, and expressing gratitude for the team's efforts and

and hoping for continued support and progress in their endeavors.

Heritage Conservation and Policy Implementation

The team discussed the importance of organizing and empowering citizens to protect their city's heritage. They agreed on the need to identify and protect important buildings before moving on to grading and listing. The group also discussed the complexities of implementing heritage conservation policies within the local planning area of Bangalore, with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) being the key regulator. in Mumbai it was the BMC, and the forner Chief Secretary also felt that the BBMP would be a logical choice. They also discussed a potential low-hanging fruit project, a documentation project for architectural colleges, and the revival of the Abide initiative. The team agreed to prepare a note with functional implementation elements and to be in touch soon.

Volunteers, Collaborations, and Heritage Initiatives

Priya mentioned the need for more volunteers and suggested involving university students in their initiatives focused on industrial heritage conservation in Bangalore. Bakul will share the link to a song by Parvati Bal and Sapnam Virmani that was discussed. Alyia proposed collaborating with TIICCIHI , an organization focused on industrial heritage, and highlighting the 160th birth anniversary of the engineer who built the Krishnaraja Sagara dam. Priya suggested partnering with the Institution of Engineers for this . . She also planned to discuss leveraging NGMA further with Ammu for initiatives like talks and schemes and organizing a retrospective on Bangalore through photography or cartoons, potentially involving Paul Fernandes

Brinda Somaya was requested to continue to share her inputs and direction for Bangalore to which she agreed. The meeting ended with grateful thanks to the speaker and to all attendees.

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Listen to the Zoom Talk here :