UNESCO committee sets Dec 2020 deadline for UT

CHANDIGARH:UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has fixed December 1, 2020, as the deadline for the UT Administration to submit an updated report on the state of conservation of world heritage property at the Capitol Complex.

The proposed martyrs' memorial designed by Le Corbusier at the Capitol Complex. Manoj Mahajan

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 4

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has fixed December 1, 2020, as the deadline for the UT Administration to submit an updated report on the state of conservation of world heritage property at the Capitol Complex.

The Capitol Complex, one of the most renowned creations of Le Corbusier, comprises three buildings - High Court, Assembly and Secretariat. The report will be examined by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session in 2021.

Sources said any delay in the submission of the report would adversely affect the world heritage status of the Capitol Complex.

Meanwhile, the World Heritage Committee has also expressed regret over the failure on part of the Administration to submit details of the completion of projects, including the martyrs’ memorial, in advance at the world heritage site - Capitol Complex.

Martyrs’ memorial is an integral part of the Capitol Complex designed by Le Corbusier, but it never completed during his lifetime.

In its last meeting, the world heritage committee noted that details of these were not submitted in advance in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines of the world heritage site and requested the Government of India to submit detailed documentation on these projects as soon as possible.

Sources in the Administration said the details of the projects had been sent to the Ministry of Culture Affairs to be submitted before UNESCO.

A senior officer of the Architecture Department said the work to complete the martyrs’ memorial had already been started. Le Corbusier had planned the project symbolising four elements of the independence struggle, but it failed to come up during his lifetime.

The martyrs’ memorial was conceived to honour the memory of those who laid down their lives for the freedom of the country. The memorial comprises of three components i.e. architectural with mythological symbols, sculptures like lion, snakes and man. Sculptures will be built on pedestal on the theme, “End of British Empire and the Freedom Struggle”.

About the memorial