URBAN STRATEGIES FOR THE HISTORIC CORE OF BULANDSHAHR
Bulandshahr, about 68 kms south-west of New Delhi is also a part of Delhi NCR Region. Being close to Delhi, the predominant seat of power in the Indian subcontinent, it typically followed the rise and fall of powerful emperors and dynasties. Thus, this city has a long historical narrative and has witnessed a remarkable architectural evolution, dating from times of Mahabharat to British India. Hence, Bulandshahr entails a diverse range of buildings not solely in terms of their architectural styles but also with the relevance they draw from different eras and switch in history. In the years following the 1857 Mutiny, Bulandshahr witnessed significant extensive monumental architectural projects which saw an engagement from British architectural and engineering firms. F.S. Growse, a British civil servant of the Indian Civil Service and District Magistrate of Bulandshahr (1876 – 1884) carried out the architectural works in Bulandshahr. Inspired by the idea that architecture belonged to the place and people it was of and for, he constructed various civic buildings in Indo - Saracenic architectural style.
Bulandshahr and Growse hold an unacknowledged relevance to the European interpretation of Indian art and Architecture of the 19th C, with a range of Indo Saracenic buildings developed upon a utilitarian vision. Though there happens to be a great diversity of built environment and the extraordinary presence of Growse in the history of Bulandshahr, but over the years, it has been lost in the urban fabric and development. Thus, creating a need to analyze urban strategies and find opportunities for revitalization of historic core and restore its national cultural identity.
The DRP aims at understanding the urban heritage and compositeness of the historic city Bulandshahr with respect to its cultural heritage and identify multi-pronged approaches and urban strategies for restoration and development cultural urban heritage of the city.
