New Delhi, Jan 11 (PTI) The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has prepared a plan to lease out heritage buildings currently being maintained it for commercial use such as opening of restaurants, guesthouses, banks and retail shopping centres, officials said on Tuesday.
Civic authorities said the move is aimed at bringing more revenue to the cash-strapped civic body.
Officials said there are about 100 heritage buildings in the SDMC region but to begin with one heritage property in Mehrauli will be leased out.
SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan said that under the plan, these heritage buildings will be given to private players on lease of 20 years for opening of restaurants, banks, retail shopping centres among others. “The SDMC has decided to lease out one such heritage property located in Mehrauli area. Licence will be given for a period of 20 years.
“Upkeep, maintenance, renovation and modification will be done by the user and the SDMC will not incur any expenditure on this account. On the other hand SDMC will earn revenue from grant of license to use of these heritage properties/buildings,” Suryan said in a statement.
He said heritage properties have been deteriorating for want of repairs and maintenance.
All these old buildings are symbol of glorious past and their deterioration will result disengagement of the coming generation from the past relating to them, the mayor said.
Activities which will be permitted in heritage buildings include retail shopping, stockiest and dealers of medicine and drugs, commercial offices, clinical laboratory, clinic and polyclinic, repair services, bank, ATM, guest house, informal trade, coaching centres, training institutes, restaurant.
“Before putting these heritage properties to use, the licensee will have to get prepared the necessary drawings and designs along with structural stability certificate from a registered architect and submit the same to the Heritage Conservation Committee through SDMC for approval,” Suryan said.
Officials said the Mehrauli building, which will be given on lease, is about 100 years old.
If this pilot project is successful then it will be replicated at other heritage properties too, the official said. PTI AKM TIR TIR
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