State of Conservation
Since the inception of Jaipur in early 18th century, it has been an international tourist destination and its unique planning has fascinated many foreign travelers, researchers, academicians and urban planners. These factors have increasingly put pressure on the conservation and sustenance of this historic city more so, in the post-independence scenario. However, recent trends in the last 2 decades in heritage conservation, visits of international celebrities such as President Clinton in 2001 and Prince Charles in 2006, as well as central urban renewal incentives of the Government of India have revived the local administration’s interest in the conservation of the walled city. Several conservation initiatives have been taken by international organisations, NGOs and local government authorities since 2001.
The structures in the walled city are in a good state on conservation and overall the urban character of the city remains in its original shape with the city gates, walls, major iconic monuments and bazars. A component wise state of conservation of the nominated property is presented as below:
A. Walled City Bazaars – The nominated property has 12 major bazars along the main axial streets that define the urban vocabulary of Jaipur. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation oversees maintaining the ‘pinkish tinge lime wash’ and standardized painted signage in the bazaars (with the row of shops on ground floor) along with controlling that there is no change in main architectural features of the privately-owned buildings/ houses, temples and havelis along the bazaar. All 12 bazaars maintain the original facades since 2007 even though there have been some changes in the structures prior to that. Three of the bazaars ie Chaura Rasta, Tripoliya and Johri Bazaar are in good state of conservation as a major conservation project was undertaken from 2009-13 to conserve the facades of all buildings along these bazars. Along with this, consolidation of buildings showin structural issues was also undertaken and specialized artwork conservation on facades of specific havelis. This work was recognized as best practice and awarded by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India.
A similar process for conservation of remaining 9 bazaars is now underway by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation and the Jaipur Smart City Limited under the Smart City Plan since April 2016.
B. Hawa Mahal – Being the most iconic monument of Jaipur that resonates with its identity, it is maintained well by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Rajasthan. During its conservation in 2006-07 as per a detailed conservation plan, it was carefully conserved and opened for tourist visitation from the inside. Several broken lime jaalis were conserved and missing ones replaced in same pattern by the master craftsmen of Jaipur. Even the ‘Jaipur Pink Limewash’ was established during this period after sampling of several colours to decide the final limewash shade. Same shade is now being used in all conservation works in Jaipur walled city. Since then, the Hawa Mahal has been in a good state of conservation and more recently it is being planned for its reuse as a museum space as per the original conservation plan.
C. Jantar Mantar – As a World Heritage Site inscribed in 2010, the Jantar Mantar of Jaipur is being conserved and maintained well as per the Action Plan identified in its Management Plan and Secondary Plans for the property and the Buffer Zone area. An interpretations centre has been opened since its inscription, new signages and facilities have been installed in property area and buffer zone and regular readings of the astronomical instruments are being recorded by astronomical experts to ensure their proper functioning.
D. City Palace Complex – The Sawai Man Singh II Museum is housed in the City Palace being managed by the Royal Trust and even the royal family continues to stay in part of the area. Though a privately-owned area, it is very well maintained and is in an excellent state of conservation with ongoing expansion of the Museum activities within the palace complex. An in-house team of conservation and museum experts is involved in the planning and execution of any works within this palace area.
E. Sawai Man Singh Town Hall – This monument dating from the mid-19th century was used as a Town Hall until three decades back. It was conserved in the year 2012-13 and is proposed to function as a City Museum for Jaipur, a plan under implementation currently through the Smart City development works in Jaipur. The building is in good state of conservation and interior works are being carried out now.
F. Jaleb Chowk – As the main central public square in Jaipur, this is one of the most significant spaces. The structures around this open space were conserved in 2006-08 as they were dilapidating. Currently all structures around the space including the colonnades on all sides and main gates ae in good state of conservation while the central space is planned as a Global Arts Sqaure promoting local craftsmanship and cuisine.
G. City Gates – All City Gates of Jaipur are in very good state of conservation as periodic repairs, limewash and lime painting is carried out by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation on a regular basis.
H. Temples and Religious buildings – The Govind Devji Temple is the prime temple of Jaipur city adjunct to the central water body of Talkatora. It is in very good state of conservation with all original artwork intact and is being maintained by a private trust. All surrounding areas to facilitate the temple activities and visitors are being developed by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Other religious temples on the main chaupars and along the bazaars as well as inside the various chowkries are maintained by various private trusts and are in a good state. Conservation works have been carried out in most of the temples along the bazaar, in the central chowkri and inside chowkri Modikhana area including artwork conservation on their facades since 2009.
I. Havelis and Houses – Most of the privately-owned structures are is good state of conservation with their architectural elements and artworks intact. Since these are bound by the Municipalities Act 1971 and Architectural Control Guidelines, they can maintain their original form and shape thus retaining the overall urban character of Jaipur.
J. Water Structures – The central water body of Talkatora is well maintained and retains its original character and ambience as part of the waterbody amid the Char Bagh concept. Other underground historic water systems of Jaipur that ran from the Chaupars to inner streets and wells lost their significance and became defunct in late 19th century when piped water supply was introduced in the city.
Existing plans that emphasize on the Protection and Management of the Jaipur World Heritage City
(i) Jaipur Master Plan 2025 (Volume II)
The Master Plan for Jaipur which is the primary Development Plan for the city categorizes land use of old Jaipur under residential walled city area with special byelaws that restrict the floor space index and control the heights of the buildings. Besides this, the byelaws restrict or control building activities in walled city and heritage buildings. The byelaws include:
- No permission for erection, re-erection, addition or alternations of any building without sanction from the competent Authority;
- Prohibit construction of buildings in open spaces or over tanks;
- Regulate building line, corners buildings, drainage, plinth, chimneys, services, minimum areas for rooms, height of rooms and the building, etc.
Heritage cell created by Government which is in the process of revising and strengthening these bylaws for the listed heritage zone, precincts and structures.
ii. The Built Heritage Management Plan, Jaipur (2007)
This plan prepared by the Jaipur Heritage Committee provided guidance and Action Plan for 1096 listed structures in the walled city and Master Plan area. The Action Plan drafted in 2007 had also outlined achieving World Heritage status for Amber and the Walled city area. Other works outlined in the action plan for nominated area and buffer zone such as conservation of bazaars, Ghat ki Guni etc. are also being implemented systematically. This plan was useful in formulating a vision for Jaipur Heritage and is now absorbed in the Jaipur Master Plan 2025. It is used as a reference while drafting any new plans for the city such as the Jaipur Smart City Plan 2016 which focuses on the nominated property.
Heritage Management Plan – Jaipur
iii Urban Renewal Proposal for walled city of Jaipur (2009-14)
Specific urban renewal proposals were implemented for the main bazaars of Jaipur between 2009-14 under the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission partially funded by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. Besides this, a comprehensive mobility plan for the city was prepared which identified the need for a Metro system in the city along with parking zones in the nominated property. Conservation works on three bazaars, one heritage walk in the inner street area, street and pavement up-gradation of major bazaars and initiation of an underground Metro line in the nominated property area were some of the major works carried out under this proposal that was partially funded by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India.
iv Jaipur Smart City Plan 2016
Jaipur has been selected as one of the 100 smart cities under the Smart City Mission of Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD), Government of India launched in 2015. As per this scheme the city had to prepare a vision plan including area based plan in consultation with its citizens and identify its own parameters for being ‘Smart’. Jaipur was one of the few cities among these where citizens collectively decided and voted for a heritage planning for the nominated area of the walled city. In the final selection of Smart City Plans, the Ministry of Urban Development ranked this Heritage Tourism Vision Plan for Smart City Area of Jaipur as 3rd amongst the list of 100 cities. This plan is currently under implementation since 2016 and it focuses on carrying out urban conservation and adaptive reuse works in the nominated area in a similar fashion as outlined in previous plans mentioned above for the city. The Area Based Development comprising of Walled city area between the two major axis along Badi Chaupar and Choti Chaupar and extending to include Albert Museum in the buffer zone will focus specifically on a) Sustainable Mobility Corridors in the nominated area, b) Heritage and Tourism that cover conservation of 9 bazaars in the property area, conservation and adaptive reuse of central areas like Jaleb Chowk and, c) Smart Civic Infrastructure
Source: Jaipur Nomination Dossier