AHMEDABAD: “Our heritage home, a Grade 2B structure, is about to collapse and I can’t do anything since I don’t have the transferable development rights (TDR) money or permission to begin repairs despite 22 representations since March 2023 to the civic body,” said a teary Manisha Parikh.
“I have a husband who is fighting paralysis, a bedridden father-in-law and my son’s IT exam is close at hand all while the danger of the house collapsing looms. This house cannot withstand another monsoon,” said Parikh, who breaks down while her son Vishwa shows a log of visits to the AMC.
Their home at Hanlla pol, off Relief Road, has major structural weaknesses. It is among the 76 Unesco-listed world heritage houses that were “approved” by the civic body for repairs. It was only on Tuesday, one year after their application, that a team of the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) visited her. Manisha does not want to move outside the walled city. It is only after their TDR value is approved that 20% can be sold so that they can fund repairs.
The slow pace of TDR approvals, with nods for just 76 homes out of 2,236 listed properties since 2014, shows how owners are reluctant to apply due to the protracted processes, lack of awareness and transparency.
A study by Rajdeep Routh and Dhruma Bhavsar of PDEU’s department of public administration of 200 heritage property owners revealed concerns about participation, accountability and transparency. Over 80% reported no involvement in decision-making, 67% felt officials weren’t held accountable and 62% got no information about the application process.
“This suggests a lack of inclusivity, accountability and transparency by the heritage department,” the study says. Regarding the rule of law, opinions were divided. While 35% of respondents said authorities generally followed the rules, 33% felt a fair legal framework wasn’t implemented effectively. More than half (56%) reported difficulty accessing information about applying for heritage TDR through official channels.
