BHOPAL: If things go as planned, demolition of heritage structures, like scenes witnessed at Shaukat Mahal and Zeenat Manzil , could soon be a thing of the past, as the state government is mulling to give transferable development rights ( TDR ) to private owners of such heritage properties, according to sources.According to Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage ( INTACH ) listing of heritage in Bhopal, there are 374 structures of importance which are under immediate threat and need conservation. The issue of TDR would be for private property owners who undertake restoration of their heritage. In turn, the private owners would be issued TDR, a certificate given floor space index (FSI) as compensation or benefit. Now with the TDR, the owner can encash the certificate that will allow him or a third party to construct additional built-up area anywhere in the city.“Bhopal has hundreds of heritage structures that need conservation. Most of these properties are in the walled city. The owners do not have the money to undertake restoration. TDR allows for heritage conservation and at the same time incentivise the heritage owner,” said urban development consultant MK Patel. He cited similar interventions by government that led to Ahmedabad becoming India’s first world heritage city.TDR policy will reduce the burden on the civic body, besides reducing the cost of project. It includes interventions like road widening and acquiring of land. Private builders could also be roped in for development of proper housing along 700 plus slums in the state capital. Similar draft initiative has also been proposed for Indore, said sources.The land losers can avail of the TDR in cases of road widening. “For slum dwellers, the concept is to form corporative society in the name of beneficiaries. The developer will have to pay a fixed monthly rent amount to the displaced until the development is complete. It pushes the developer to complete the project in time and take care of the displaced families. Once the project is complete, the TDR is issued to the developer which can be applied in other projects to get additional FSI or built-up area,” Patel explained.Over the last few years, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the district administration have delayed cash compensation to owners who have lost their assets for development work. It includes displaced housing for hundreds along the BRTS and more recently for smart road development.“Heritage conservation is vital. If government does not take measures to protect our history, much would be lost in the next decade,” said conservationist Pooja Saxena. Many conservationists have also advocated that BMC should adopt INTACH listing as is and declare the structures as heritage. It would make it impossible to demolish such structures in future. BMC heritage cell has not been convened for over three years.

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