Bimal Patel is India's preferred architect. Development of the Mumbai Port Trust and restoration of Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Ashram are his other ongoing projects.
THIS EXERCISE OF BUILDING A NEW PARLIAMENT TYPIFIES MODERN “NEROISM” WHEN INDIA ABOUNDS IN SQUALOR, LOSS OF JOBS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION ; THIS PROJECT ALSO SEEMS LIKE ANOTHER PROJECT IN SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT .THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT DOES NOT SEEM TO HESITATE IN BUILDING AN OPULENT STATUE FOR VALLABHBHAI PATEL IN EFFORT TO APPROPRIATE PATEL’S LEGACY AS THE BJP LEADERSHIP WHICH PARTICIPATED IN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT . THE GOVERNMENT ALSO DOES NOT HESITATE IN “MAKING” THE RBI COUGH UP Rs1.75 CRORE SO THAT BIG CORPORATES CAN BE GIVEN TAX CONCESSIONS. THERE IS NO HESITATION WAIVING OFF LOANS OF BIG BUSINESS AS ALSO NO HESITATION IN NOT PUTTING UP THE NAMES OF LOAN DEFAULTERS IN THE WEB SITES OF BANKS . HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO AGRICULTURISTS, FARMERS AND EMPLOYEES THE GOVERNMENT ‘S QUALITY OF PARSIMONY IS AT ITS BEST . NEHRU GOT CHANDIGARH BUILT DUE TO A PURPOSE AS DID INDIRA GANDHI WHEN SHE GOT GANDHINAGAR, NEW BHUBANESWAR , VASHI ETC BUILT
It is true that our cities must grow and what we may associate these as different layers. These layers respected the previous layer and that what made the city interesting. Our world is different, which has changed since WWII. Our population has increased, technological and communism dictates growth of our society but at what cost , which we are beginning to realise, and any major urban development now must undergo the basic test of environmental impact assessment. What did happen with all Mr. Patel’s project is that they never understood this impact and in case of Sabarmati River. The displacement of the community which was an integral part of Ahmadabad’s culture. (By the way the Sabarmati Riverfront development i was first proposed by Architect Bernard Cohen in 1960’s which was community oriented)
Indian press has been slow to take on subject like built environment and the built environment fraternity is fragmented. More interested in self-praising then really discussing about the real issues of quality of education, shortcoming of urban developments and projects and bring about change in statue. I remember the incident when an architect was put in the prison when a building had collapsed in Chennai. Architect fraternity was furious only to realise that the duties specified under an act has not been reviewed for ages. But they all organised talks and seminars all over India I am sure the act is still as it stands.
If country wants to see the highest level of professionalism and to see that any government project is undertaken by established codes but not on whim of a leader . Then they will have to get engaged in the development of their professional institute otherwise a smart kid will plant an idea through a media and a leader will take advantage, leaving behind the normal norms of decency down and dusted.
The devils architect
This guy wants to raze the beautiful New Delhi that the British left us for some chai Wallah monstrosity.
India is a country of baboons, in the hands of goons from the RSS the world is beginning to look at INDIA with contempt.
Instead on spending huge sums on reinventing the Central Vista in New Delhi, why not create a new capital in Central India? This idea is not as fancy as it seems. First of all, Delhi is situated in a highly seismic zone and is highly water stressed. There is a genuine need to decongest Delhi. I remember a news item in the newspapers sometime in the sixties (when I was a school student) about the speech by the then Director General of Geological Survey of India to a conference of geologists. He had suggested Betul in Central India as the site for a new capital, precisely because of seismic danger and water stress in Delhi.
Best wishes Ar Bimal Patel
The author seems to have bias against Modi and we don’t appreciate this as a fair journalism. It must be unbiased journalism.
THIS EXERCISE OF BUILDING A NEW PARLIAMENT TYPIFIES MODERN “NEROISM” WHEN INDIA ABOUNDS IN SQUALOR, LOSS OF JOBS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION ; THIS PROJECT ALSO SEEMS LIKE ANOTHER PROJECT IN SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT .THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT DOES NOT SEEM TO HESITATE IN BUILDING AN OPULENT STATUE FOR VALLABHBHAI PATEL IN EFFORT TO APPROPRIATE PATEL’S LEGACY AS THE BJP LEADERSHIP WHICH PARTICIPATED IN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT . THE GOVERNMENT ALSO DOES NOT HESITATE IN “MAKING” THE RBI COUGH UP Rs1.75 CRORE SO THAT BIG CORPORATES CAN BE GIVEN TAX CONCESSIONS. THERE IS NO HESITATION WAIVING OFF LOANS OF BIG BUSINESS AS ALSO NO HESITATION IN NOT PUTTING UP THE NAMES OF LOAN DEFAULTERS IN THE WEB SITES OF BANKS . HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO AGRICULTURISTS, FARMERS AND EMPLOYEES THE GOVERNMENT ‘S QUALITY OF PARSIMONY IS AT ITS BEST . NEHRU GOT CHANDIGARH BUILT DUE TO A PURPOSE AS DID INDIRA GANDHI WHEN SHE GOT GANDHINAGAR, NEW BHUBANESWAR , VASHI ETC BUILT
GUJARATO
It is true that our cities must grow and what we may associate these as different layers. These layers respected the previous layer and that what made the city interesting. Our world is different, which has changed since WWII. Our population has increased, technological and communism dictates growth of our society but at what cost , which we are beginning to realise, and any major urban development now must undergo the basic test of environmental impact assessment. What did happen with all Mr. Patel’s project is that they never understood this impact and in case of Sabarmati River. The displacement of the community which was an integral part of Ahmadabad’s culture. (By the way the Sabarmati Riverfront development i was first proposed by Architect Bernard Cohen in 1960’s which was community oriented)
Indian press has been slow to take on subject like built environment and the built environment fraternity is fragmented. More interested in self-praising then really discussing about the real issues of quality of education, shortcoming of urban developments and projects and bring about change in statue. I remember the incident when an architect was put in the prison when a building had collapsed in Chennai. Architect fraternity was furious only to realise that the duties specified under an act has not been reviewed for ages. But they all organised talks and seminars all over India I am sure the act is still as it stands.
If country wants to see the highest level of professionalism and to see that any government project is undertaken by established codes but not on whim of a leader . Then they will have to get engaged in the development of their professional institute otherwise a smart kid will plant an idea through a media and a leader will take advantage, leaving behind the normal norms of decency down and dusted.
The devils architect
This guy wants to raze the beautiful New Delhi that the British left us for some chai Wallah monstrosity.
India is a country of baboons, in the hands of goons from the RSS the world is beginning to look at INDIA with contempt.
India is bad, but not as bad as our neighbour.
Instead on spending huge sums on reinventing the Central Vista in New Delhi, why not create a new capital in Central India? This idea is not as fancy as it seems. First of all, Delhi is situated in a highly seismic zone and is highly water stressed. There is a genuine need to decongest Delhi. I remember a news item in the newspapers sometime in the sixties (when I was a school student) about the speech by the then Director General of Geological Survey of India to a conference of geologists. He had suggested Betul in Central India as the site for a new capital, precisely because of seismic danger and water stress in Delhi.