Evolving Local Area Plan Mechanism for Revitalization of Heritage Precinct
Majority of india cities have evolved from a historic urban core. Today, however these heritage areas have become old and gradually deteriorating. Improving these areas require a multi-fold effort, namely (i) deeper understanding of history, heritage and conservation (ii) deep understanding and experience of engaging with community, especially with economically weaker sections and women (ii) comprehensive understanding & technical expertise of planning and design to carry out project in such areas.
Local Area Plan is a relatively new statutory planning mechanism, which has now enabled micro-level planning of existing, developed urban areas. This LAP mechanism is envisaged primarily as an incentive based approach to improve connectivity, land utilization, infrastructure and urban form of an existing urban area. The LAP mechanism has a large potential of being used for two broad purposes: (a) planned improvement of existing urban areas through incentivized redevelopment & infill (b) Planned improvement and conservation of older urban areas with heritage value.
However, this LAP mechanism is still evolving, and needs to be researched upon, tested and clearly illustrated through real cases. Currently there is no illustrative example of LAP for improving a Core Area with Heritage Value. In this context focus of this DRP is to research and prepare an illustrative LAPs for Improving a Core Area Precinct with Heritage Value in the core area of a historic city, and provide recommendations to evolve and strengthen the LAP mechanism for enabling more of such LAPs to improve commercial and mixed use areas of historic core cities.
This will require the students to carry out surveys and site studies to understand current issues on ground as experienced by stakeholders, along with detailed study of the current statutory mechanism, regulations, incentives and institutional framework. Also the students will have to be closely familiar with and evaluate the recent projects in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Amritsar, and other cities in India and Abroad.
