Aihik Sur By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Over the past few weeks, the State government’s counsel and the lawyers representing petitioners who have challenged the demolition of the Errum Manzil have argued over nitty-gritty details in the case in the High Court. In this much-publicised matter, the mention of a certain Urban Arts Commission had piqued the interest of many. Heritage activists are asking for it to be constituted again. What exactly is this Urban Arts Commission? According to the Telangana Urban Areas (Development) Act 1975, the State government is empowered to constitute an arts commission to look over the aesthetics of any developmental plan, and provide its recommendations to the government for further action. Unlike the Heritage Conservation Committee which just concentrated on heritage buildings and on protecting them, the ambit of the Urban Arts Commission is far wider. Explaining further, Sajjad Shahid, who was formerly a member of the Heritage Conservation Committee said, “The Urban Arts Commission would be responsible for the aesthetics of the city. The members would include prominent personalities from the field of art, and every developmental plan would have to go through this commission.” Shahid said that there was a Commission in united AP in the 1980s but after the first tenure of the commission ended, it was never formed again. “There is a need for the arts commission again. For instance, Hyderabad Metro might be an engineering marvel but it is an eyesore. An arts commission could have had addressed that issue.” In fact, when the Delhi Metro works were underway, the Delhi Urban Arts Commission recommended guidelines for the laying of tracks near sites of archaeological importance. In Bengaluru, the arts commission’s saved the Cubbon Park from its Metro. On Monday, while hearing a petition filed by Pasham Yadagiri of the Hyderabad Zindabad NGO, the Bench sought to know from the State the relation between urban arts commission and heritage conservation committee, and it also questioned why it was not formed again. Panel would have big role Unlike the Heritage Conservation Committee, the Urban Arts Commission, would have a wide ambit. It would be able to recommend to the govt on urban design, restoration of archeological sites and so on

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