Monday, February 18, 2013

Lucknow Metro Rail Project

Brit soldiers killed in 1857 stand in way of Lucknow Metro, from graves

Monday, February 18, 2013
M Tariq Khan, Hindustan Times
Lucknow, February 18, 2013
The proposed Lucknow Metro Rail Project faces a grave problem, literally.
Two nondescript British cemeteries in the state capital, listed as protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), are coming in the way of finalising the path of the tracks. "We are unable to take a call on deciding the alignment because the graves of some unknown foreigners (British soldiers) killed in the freedom struggle of 1857 are in close vicinity," an official on the panel for the metro project formed by CM Akhilesh Yadav said on Sunday.
"You cannot see the graves from outside. They are tucked away in a corner inside a crumbling structure."
The ASI has declined to provide no objection certificate for metro tracks near the cemeteries in commercial hubs Kaiserbagh and Aminabad.
Lucknow has 18 such cemeteries and many of the graves are unmarked, without epitaphs."I have to discharge my duties within the framework of law," said PK Mishra, the superintending archaeologist of ASI's Lucknow circle.
The ASI does have a provision for de-notifying sites and structures that have lost historical relevance or can no longer be preserved due to fund crunch. Mishra said a lake in the city was dropped from the list in 2005-06.

  
**The Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 and the Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules prohibit any construction or digging activity within a radius of 100 meters. The rules permit such activity on a case to case basis within a radius of 300-meters termed as regulated area under the Act. 

**Unlike other states where most historical places are located in desolate areas, In Lucknow, almost all places of historical importance are located near crowded places.

*
* Judicial remedy seems to be the only recourse available to have a fresh look at the criteria under which sites and monuments can be classified as protected on their historical, architectural and heritage value, feel experts   

5 comments:

  1. How metro in Gaziabad is running? they indulged there more income in metro's, then why LDA could not fund to metro. Thousands of crores of land is under the position of bhoo mafia's. Still they are the engrossing the Lands because that no has interest for that. LDA should generate money from its land. Awas Vikas should also contribute in that and fully underground metro should run by govt fund.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ab kuch hone ki umid hai kya.Sir plz reply

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ab kuch hone ki umid hai kya.Sir plz reply

    ReplyDelete