Introduction:

Buildings with architectural significance and traditional values are considered for their preservation and conservation. These buildings playing an important role in the history of the city of Kolkata in particular and maintained properly. For this purpose it has been realised that an inventory of such buildings upon which the heritage status has been conferred is to be undertaken. Through various process and documentation stages in assistance with the Expert Committee formed by the Government of West Bengal, a list of such heritage buildings has been prepared and being up-dated regularly.

i) What is Heritage Building?
Under the provisions of Section 2 (42A) of the K.M.C. Act 1980 the definition of heritage building has been given. The definition runs thus "heritage building means any building of one or more premises, or any part thereof, which requires preservation and conservation for historical, architectural, environmental or ecological purpose and includes such portion of the land adjoining such building or any part thereof as may be required for fencing or covering or otherwise preserving such building and also includes the areas and buildings requiring preservation and conservation for the purpose as aforesaid under sub-clause (ii) of clause (a) of subsection (4) of the section 31 of the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning and Development) Act, 1979 (West Beng. Act XIII of 1979)".

ii) What is Heritage Precinct?
Heritage Precinct may be defined as the neighbourhood or environs of a place or a group of buildings that share wholly or partly certain common physical, social, cultural significance worth preservation and conservation. Ambience can be defined as the quantitative, qualitative aspects attached to heritage building necessary for its appreciation of the space and viewing corridors.

iii) How Conservation of Heritage Building is explained?
Conservation may be defined as the process involved in the preservation of a building, precinct or artifact, in order to retain its architectural, historical, environmental or cultural significance. This term includes maintenance and according to necessity, may require preservation, restoration or reconstruction and may commonly be a combination of more than one of the above.

iv) How Preservation of Heritage Building is explained?
Preservation may be defined as the maintenance necessary in order to maintain the building precinct or artifact in its present state to prevent and retard deterioration.

v) How Restoration of Heritage Building is explained?
Restoration may be defined as the means necessary to return the fabric to its known earlier sate (as may have existed prior to change that may have occurred by way of demolition, removal, addition etc. in contravention of the provision of the Act, the rules and regulations framed therein) by means of the removal of accretions or reassembling existing components or by the sensitive introduction of compatible materials.

vi) What is the responsibility of the owner?
Every owner or occupier of any heritage building declared as such by the Corporation shall maintain, preserve and conserve it and shall not change its use in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules or the regulations made there under for its maintenance, preservation or conservation. Elements of the building, which are not compatible with the whole or part of the building, should be removed with the approval of Heritage Conservation Committee.

Standard Guidelines:

a) Criteria for selection of a Heritage building
Any building depicting characteristics, historic, scientific or social value, any building associated with important social, political, cultural, scientific or technological movement, any building with striking architectural significance in respect of style, design, use of construction material etc.

b) Acquisition of K.M.C. of such heritage building
Normally no heritage building will be acquired by the Corporation but in very special cases considering the historical and traditional urgency the Corporation may acquire the heritage property under the due process of law.

c) Selling or leasing out of the Heritage Property
On prior permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee the owner of a heritage building may sell or lease out the heritage property. The owner has to apply before the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for such permission. After considering all the factors the Heritage Conservation Committee may recommend for sell or lease out.

d) Undertaking new construction within the Heritage Property
On prior approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee new construction in a heritage property may be undertaken on fulfillment of the following conditions:

i) If surplus buildable land is available.
ii) The construction shall have to be compatible with the existing heritage building.
iii) The drawings and designs for such construction shall be prepared and recommended by the enlisted Conservation Architect (Annex 'A').

e) Demolition of Heritage Building
Normally no heritage building shall be permitted for demolition. However, on prior approval of the Heritage Conservation Committee on the recommendation of the enlisted Conservation Architect the non-significant portion of a heritage building may be allowed to be demolished.

f) Permission for repairing

To repair any heritage building a prior permission of the Heritage Conservation Committee is required for:
i) Restoration of façade, structure and interior.
ii) Restoration of architectural elements/features.
iii) Reconstruction of the portion which has been collapsed.
iv) Reconstruction of the portion irreparable to match with the existing critical characteristics.