HCC issues NoC to ZP for construction of new administrative building

Aurangabad, Sept 2:

The Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) has today granted a no-objection certificate (NoC) to Zilla Parishad on the condition that it will not touch the existing heritage structure (old Administrative Building) and carry out the new construction of the new administrative building, on the campus, across the prescribed boundary.

HCC president Jayant Deshpande chaired the meeting held at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research Centre today. He also held a spot inspection. " The existing heritage structure (housing old administrative building) was built during the Nizam region. It is enlisted as a protected heritage structure in the list of HCC. Hence the ZP administration has to ensure that the old structure is not harmed in any way and there is no violation of archaeological norms. The building should be conserved by the office. Hence on these conditions, the NoC was issued to the ZP," underlined Deshpande.

It may be noted that the ZP had applied for NoC from HCC as it is constructing the new administrative building in the periphery of the old building. The committee also made it clarified that it is mandatory upon all the government offices, in their possession, to obtain NoC from HCC. The president also applauded the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) chief executive officer A K Pandey for undertaking the task of conserving the city heritage gates and clock tower of Shahgunj through the Smart City fund.

HCC possess a list of 144 protected heritage structures of various categories. Hence all the HCC office-bearers and members unanimously decided upon adding new heritage structures to the list. HCC member Dr Shaikh Ramzan raised the issue of conserving Panchakki. The proposal has been scheduled for discussion in the next meeting as the heritage is in the custodianship of Maharashtra State Board of Wakfs.

ZP chief executive officer Nilesh Gatne, additional CEO Santosh Kawade, HCC member and deputy director (Town Planning) Jayant Kharwadkar, executive engineer A B Deshmukh, Intach's convenor Mukund Bhogale, deputy director (tourism) Shrimant Harkar, assistant director Vijay Jadhav, Vijay Sanghvikar, ASCDCL's assistant project manager Sneha Bakshi, MPCB's Seema Manglure, forest officer B D Taur and others were present in the meeting.