AMC accused of shedding crocodile tears

Aurangabad, May 5:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) through a special purpose vehicle - Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) - is spending crores of rupees on conservation of nine gates and

clock tower (in Shahgunj), but when the issue of conserving heritage structure like Town Hall comes for discussion, the AMC has not worked beyond giving false assurances for the last one decade.

According to experts, “ By spending few crores of rupees on preservation of countable heritage structures in the city, the AMC is trying to depict that it is concerned over the heritage structures of the city, but when it comes to spending of few lakhs on preserving Town Hall, it is delaying the conservation project for reasons better known to the administrator and the administration. This is enough to prove that the AMC is shedding crocodile tears on the issue of city heritage.”

Sheer negligence

The whole city has witnessed stormy winds in the month of September/October 2021. The unexpected rainfall uprooted many trees having huge trunks and electric poles. The rain lashed the city for many consecutive days. The heritage Town Hall also fell victim on this natural calamity. the mangalorean tiles on the conical shapped roof of heritage got displaced and damaged.

According to an expert, who wish to remain anonymous said,“ One can see the sky clearly from the existing steel frame of the roof due to absence of the tiles. Seven months have passed to it, the AMC is yet to woke up from deep slumber and start placing the new tiles. It is a matter of hiring an expert roofer and complete the task. The monsoon season will herald from June. If it fails to act promptly, the heritage may face severe damage during the rainy season.”

According to AMC sources, the cultural officer has alerted his executive engineer (buildings and gardens) in October 2021 and drew his attention towards urgent need of placing new roof tiles and also underlining the need of undertaking other conservation works at the Town Hall. He mentioned about the downpour on September 28, 2021 and its impact on the Town Hall and its Art Gallery. But the action is awaited. The AMC administrator is either least bothered in attending such issues of small level or do not have time to go through the heritage’s grievance. This is the reason why the matter is lying pending.”

According to heritage experts, “ Why the AMC is turning its back towards conservation of Town Hall and Damri Mahal. The attitude is either intentional or the AMC is not competent enough to set priority of work and save the heritage accordingly.”

The other major grievances of Town Hall is that it is facing bat menace for the past many years, but the issue had fallen on deaf ears of the civic officials team lacking heritage vision. The caretakers of Town Hall have demanded to fix steel mesh on 14 vertical windows (which are the prime source of bat’s entry), but years had passed to this demand. No action has been taken so far. About a year ago, the AMC administrator has assured of doing the task from AMC fund, but the action is still awaited upon it.

“It is not a big deal, according to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as they had fixed such kind of mesh at their heritage sites to prevent entry of birds and bats. It is just a matter of few lakhs. The open roof is now another source of entry for bats,” said the heritage experts adding that the Town Hall had seen renovation for the last time in 2008. Since then it is craving for plastering, colouring and maintenance works.