Heritage Committee grants conditional approval to construction of new Collector's Office at Labour Colony

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

A massive new building is set to be constructed for the District Collector’s office at the site of the demolished Labour Colony. The Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) of the Municipal Corporation has granted permission for the building's construction, subject to eight conditions. The district administration must fulfill specific documentation requirements with the committee. Failure to do so could result in the revocation of the permission.

The HCC meeting was originally scheduled for Monday, June 2, but due to technical difficulties, it was held on Tuesday, June 3 at the Smart City office. The meeting was chaired by committee chairman Jayant Deshpande and attended by Mukund Bhogale, Dr. Shaikh Ramzan, Mohammad Iqbal, and other members.

In May 2022, 338 houses in the Labour Colony area were vacated and demolished. For the past two and a half years, efforts have been underway to construct an administrative building at the site. Next to the proposed location lies a heritage “Rangeen Gate” and a fortification wall (fasil) spread over 20 acres. Therefore, approval from the HCC was necessary before construction. The committee granted conditional approval during the meeting.

Conditions of HCC

-Submit clarification that the proposed site has been officially converted to non-agricultural (NA) use.

-Submit the original PR (Property Registration) card and original site map to the committee.

-Obtain and submit No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and Fire Brigade section.

-The proposed 30-meter-wide road alongside the building must be transferred in the name of the Municipal Corporation.

-Make provisions for an independent electricity transformer (DP) for the administrative building.

-Submit a survey map of the land.

-Obtain permission from the concerned section for tree felling, and submit the related NOC.

-Ensure that the construction does not damage the heritage fortification wall (fasil). Besides, a garden should be developed in the area surrounding the wall.