NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) is likely to tie up with private or non-government agencies to restore heritage properties such as schools, gateways, tombs, and police stations under its jurisdiction. The civic body is the custodian of 475 notified historical buildings.
The corporation has also revived its 'Heritage Conservation Cell', which was defunct for years, to achieve the goal. Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal on Thursday said the civic body has been conserving heritage sites under its jurisdiction despite limited resources and financial crisis.
He also advised the corporation to work in association with private agencies on public private partnership (PPP) mode to carry on conservation activities. He was speaking during the release of a coffee table book titled - Glorious Heritage - published by the SDMC.
The L-G joined the event through video conferencing. Present on the occasion were Mayor Mukesh Suryan, SDMC commissioner Gyanesh Bharti and additional commissioner Amin Ahmed Tazir, who is also the chairman of the heritage conservation cell.
The civic agency plans to compile information about all 475 heritage sites. The book released on Thursday is the first of a three-part series which contains images and a brief history of 108 structures. The mayor said that two more volumes of the book are being drafted.
The oldest site in the listing is Anangtal (a pool in Mehrauli). Daryaganj Police Station building constructed in 1930 is also part of the book.
"Apart from providing civic services in its area, SDMC is working in other fields too. Motive behind creation of 'Heritage Conservation Cell' is to make people aware about the importance of historical heritages and to take measures to conserve them," said Bharti.
The e-book is available on SDMC's website.