IIT-BHU named expert for heritage conservation

Varanasi, March 23 The department of Architecture, Planning and Design of IIT -BHU has been nominated as an expert under Expert Heritage Body by the National Monuments Authority under the Ministry of Culture.

The IIT-BHU director Prof Pramod Kumar Jain said that the department has been entrusted with the task of heritage consultations in the eastern, central and northern regions of the country.

He said that the heritage sites are the locations of the pieces of cultural, political and socially rich history, which require to be conserved due to their heritage value. There are various such sites present in the region covered by IIT-BHU.

These include ancient cities like Ayodhya and Kashi (Varanasi), which are known for their cultural and religious heritage.

Other sites include Sarnath, which is famous for its excavations from the Buddhist period and also houses the original sculpture of four lions built by King Ashoka, Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh), Archaeological sites of Nalanda Mahavihara (Bihar), Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Imambara and few more buildings of Lucknow.

Prof Jain said that IIT-BHU would provide consultancy for the restoration and conservation of the culturally rich sites of historical values.

The department was established in the centenary year of the institute in 2019.

The matter regarding the nomination of more expert heritage bodies for expediting the framing of heritage bylaws of centrally protected monuments and protected areas has been under the consideration of the government for some time.

In this regard, the central government made amendments in the notification of 2014, and nominated thirty new Expert Heritage Bodies.

The new heritage bodies would be required to frame heritage bylaws in various areas of jurisdiction across the country.

Additionally, the heritage bodies would also be entrusted to look into matters related to heritage controls such as elevations, facades, drainage systems, roads and service infrastructure as well.