Project mooted after BBMP meets with city’s conservation architects

There is some hope on the horizon for the 18 heritage markets of the city that are on the hit list of BBMP which is proposing to bring them down and go in for reconstruction. Following an online campaign by INTACH, conservation architects and like-minded Bengalureans -Bengaluru Heritage Markets Campaign, a meeting was held in the BBMP on Tuesday to come out with a Plan B.

Markets standing committee chairman B R Nanjundappa and former Mayor B S Satyanarayana met Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) rep resentatives to discuss the issue. “Some of the markets are of no revenue value to us like Johnson Market where traders do not pay rents. But still, we are open to looking at a revitalisation plan and have asked the INTACH members to prepare a project for two markets. We will see the plan and de ide whether or not to take it forward,” Satyanarayana told Bangalore Mirror. As a pilot, rejuvenation plans for two markets will be readied by the conservation architects and if it is through, the rest of the structures will be n handled. INTACH’s campaign on Facebook is gaining traction (see box). The campaign is see c ing strong support with con servation architects putting up some history nuggets about the markets.

For instance about Murphy Town Market, a post reads: “So you love the stone facade of the Bible Society building on MG Road? This is its poor cousin.Poor only because it was neglected. This is also one of the 18 demolition candidates announced by the BBMP on Nov 26. What this needs is rejuvenation, not demolition! Make the BBMP retain heritage and culture aspects during such projects, especially in historic quarters of the city like this one! Murphy Town Market has its old world charm as reflected by the century old reading room in the market area. If BBMP has its way, all this would soon give way to a mall! Do we need a city stripped of all its community spaces and bazaars, old buildings razed and second generation shop keepers displaced? With no existing law to protect heritage buildings, it’s up to us to lend our collective voices to save them.” Publicising the Chikkamavalli Market in VV Puram, campaigners have posted: “Spanning a good block in the historic quarter of Chikkamavalli, just next door to Lalbagh and food street, adjacent to a Kempegowda Uyyale Udyanavana (Park).”

INTACH is also holding photo walks and the first one was held at Johnson Market last week.

The FB Campaign
INTACH’s campaign on Face book has so far got 750 sup porters. Bengalureans who are interested in heritage and traditional value of these buildings have fished out old photographs of the markets and have posted them. A Bengaluru Heritage Markets photo contest has also been announced with the tagline “Show your appreciation so that they never succumb to a sledgehammer.”

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / BangaloreMirror.com / Home> Bangalore> Civic / by Kushala S , Bangalore Mirror Bureau / December 24th, 2014