Ahmedabad, Mar 16 (PTI) The National Monuments Authority (NMA) on Wednesday said it has given No Objection Certificate (NOC) to three projects in the vicinity of protected monuments here, including the construction of a Bullet Train station near the famous Jhulta Minaras.
The NMA, an apex body whose nod is needed for construction or other projects near national monuments, has launched a drive to clear long-pending applications, its chairman Tarun Vijay said in a statement.
The Bullet Train project, being executed by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), will connect Ahmedabad with Mumbai.
“The NMA has given NOC for High Speed Railway as there were certain serious doubts raised about its impact on Jhulta Minaras. Having been satisfied with all sound impact and vibration analysis, NMA chairman Vijay finally cleared the project,” the statement said.
He visited Ahmedabad and took on-spot decision to clear the Bullet Train project, it added.
The National High Speed Railway is a dream project for development of infrastructure, inspired and initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and “no delay can be tolerated” due to “minor irritants”, Vijay was further quoted as saying.
The Jhulta Minar (Shaking Minarets), located in Sarangpur area, are surviving relics of the Sidi Bashir mosque complex. A gentle shaking of either of them results in the other minaret vibrating for a few seconds, a phenomenon which has intrigued architects and design engineers for long. The NHSRCL is going to construct a train station some 250 meters away.
The NMA also gave NOC for redevelopment of the Swami Akhandanand Ayurvedic Hospital which is a heritage building, and a building project for the Surat fish market.
The statement also said that Vijay was “shocked that CEPT, a noted architecture school, has charged a public hospital Rs 12 lakh just for a Heritage Assessment Report which is exorbitant.” The NMA chairman ordered that new heritage assessment bodies which would be “more reasonable in charging fees,” be empanelled, the statement added. PTI PD KRK KRK
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