World heritage panel nod must for alteration: Expert

Members of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) voiced their concerns about the construction of a ‘verandah’ outside the Chief Justice’s courtroom months ago, calling it a heritage issue.

Now that the Supreme Court has stayed the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s direction to the Chandigarh Administration to build the ‘verandah’, Deepika Gandhi, former Director, Le Corbusier Centre and Chandigarh Architecture Museum, explained how the Capitol Complex is not just a property of Chandigarh but also holds national and international significance. “The decision to alter a UNESCO Heritage Site is not under the jurisdiction of just the local government or the Centre. The correct process needs to be followed. Alteration of any kind will challenge the ‘authenticity’ of the heritage site and will put the monument, Capitol Complex, under endangered status by the World Heritage Committee (WHC),” she said.

The complex, where the High Court is situated, comes under the transnational serial nominations. Seventeen buildings in seven countries were given the heritage status in 2016 as part of “The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement”. The buildings from countries, including France, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Argentina, Japan and India, showcase the global reach of French designer and architect Le Corbusier. “The Capitol Complex is one of the most important buildings in this cluster listing and any alteration, be it as small as a porch or verandah, will affect not just its national recognition but also international,” said Gandhi.

The issue was raised at a CHCC meeting headed by the UT Adviser a few months ago, after which the Administration moved the apex court for relief against the HC order. According to the committee, the correct procedure is intimating the Government of India and the Archaeological Survey of India, so that the alterations can be discussed with the WHC, which grants the UNESCO Heritage status. Only upon WHC approval can there be physical modifications in a building with the heritage status. “It is beyond the scope of just one body. Even though transnational serial nominations are not contiguous, they are nominated with the consent of all state parties concerned, here seven countries. So, the Capitol Complex also affects the status of other buildings involved,” concluded Gandhi, who is also former professor of the Chandigarh College of Architecture.

Last year, the High Court had instructed the Administration to begin the construction of the verandah in front of Court Room No. 1, similar to the ones in front of Court Rooms No. 2 to 9, within two weeks, with the completion of work to be achieved within four weeks. The direction came in a case concerning HC infrastructure.