The document discusses the importance of respecting heritage structures during maintenance works. It defines heritage as buildings, artifacts, and structures of historic, cultural, or architectural significance that are passed down over generations. Proper classification and organizations like the Archaeological Survey of India are responsible for protecting important monuments, but often face issues like lack of funds and expertise. Heritage buildings require specialized maintenance that considers their historic design, materials, and construction methods. Neglect, improper repairs, encroachment, and changes can damage heritage structures over time. Conservation efforts should focus on specialized surveys, repairs, landscape design, and preventing deterioration to preserve important cultural heritage.

1. Respect the Heritage
during Maintenance
Dr K M Soni
Chief Engineer, CPWD, Mumbai

2. Heritage
• Heritage means something that is handed
down from the past as a tradition and
includes buildings, artefacts, structures, open
and excavated areas, natural features and
precincts that are of historic, aesthetic,
architectural or cultural significance and thus
include buildings, monuments and sites.
• Heritage means old. Thus old is to respected.

3. Do we respect old?
Though we know that we should
Fact is that very few respect the old so also the heritage structures

4. Classification of Heritage
Structures
• World Heritage (36 in India)
• ASI Protected Monuments
(3650 ancient monuments)
• State Governments
– Grade I
– Grade II
• Grade II A
• Grade II B
– Grade III
So remember, it is not the old but old beauty to be respected most

5. World Heritage Sites,
Also ASI Protected Monuments
http://blog.iasscore.in/upsc_prelims/page/2/

6. ASI Protected Monuments

7. ASI Protected Monuments
• Some organisation has the responsibility to look after
them
– Positive side is that they get funds, have experts
(conservationists) with them or can hire and are
answerable/accountable. Though expertise largely
depends upon individual
– Negative side is inadequacy of funds, slackness,
bureaucratic approach . No engineers and architects.
• They are open to public
– Positive side is that ASI gets revenue
– Public is able to appreciate the past
– Negative side is few damage the monuments. Even
monuments are to be protected from visitors

8. Heritage Buildings
• To be maintained by the owners as per the
government criterion but why should they?
• Is there any incentive from the government?
• Is there any advantage of up-keeping them like
value increasing?
• Or simply as they are old/heritage?

9. Repair and Restoration
Idealism concepts
Heritage Structures are sign of Prosperity.
So basic requirement of heritage?
Prosperity
Prosperity would not willingly let die
If the owner is not prosperous?

10. Prosperity
• Prosperity
– Government/PSU
• ASI
• Others capable of understanding
heritage
– Private
• Old prosperity and still (Royal
attitude)
• Old prosperity but not now
• New Prosperity with Royal attitude
• New prosperity but not
understanding heritage
Heritage structures require attitude, higher care, maintenance , and money

11. Maintenance/Repair/Restoration
• Survey
• Conservation
• Engineering repair
• Architectural/aesthetic
consideration
• Landscaping design
• Horticulture operations
• Structural design
• Maintenance/Repair is not
considered a highly
technical subject, be with
architects, civil , electrical
or horticulture works by
engineers or academicians
• Left on very junior level
engineers, supervisors and
workers
Heritage structures require
only maintenance being old and
thus cannot be left like general
concept of maintenance.

12. Survey by field
visits,
Observations,
Manual
Photography,
Aerial
photography, and
satellite
photographs
Are very helpful

13. Mantra of Repair and Restoration
of Heritage Structures
• Forget the present
• Think of the period in which
the structure was built
• Think as the then owner of
the structure
• Think of the usage of the
structure
• Obey the design, materials
and methods adopted in the
heritage structure
• Act considering past and
present

14. Deterioration of Structures
• Negligence
• Poor maintenance
• Vandalism, theft and defacing
• Change of building use, overloading, and loading pattern
• Additions and alterations
• Change of drainage path(s)
• Aging of structures, climatic conditions, geological changes
and disasters
• Trees, vegetation, and weed
• Lighting
• Signage
• Encroachment

15. Negligence
• Due to owner
– Due to lack of financial resources
– Deliberate negligence to get the structure removed
from the heritage list or demolish it
• Due to engineers and architects not having the
knowledge of maintenance of heritage
structures, particularly in government dept.
• Due to occupants making changes as per their
sweet will and damaging structure
• Due to visitors
• Due to Public other than the visitors

20. Poor Maintenance
• Due to poor quality of materials, workers or
contractors
• Due to lack of financial resources
• Maintenance not given adequate attention and
not being considered even a technical subject
• Poor knowledge
• Leakage/seepage
• Poor drainage
• Damaging the structure for services
Delayed maintenance/repair damages the structure at a faster rate

21. Civil Maintenance ?
Horticulture Maintenance ?

28. Vandalism, Theft and Defacing
• Un - intentional
• Intentional

30. Change of Building Use, Loading
Pattern and Overloading
• Additional facilities like toilets, wash rooms,
kitchens, stores, offices, extra lightings, air-
conditioning, CCTVs, ducting, chimneys, fire
safety provisions etc. Unfortunately these
services are given priority over heritage
• Additional loading due to change of building
use

31. Change of
Loading
Pattern –
due to natural
decay or
deliberate

33. Additions/Alterations
• Due to owner’s requirements like addition of stores, offices,
toilets, rooms, and similar services
• Local body requirements, like construction of ramps and
railings, and toilets for differently abled persons, installation
of lifts etc.
• Security requirements like extra access during emergency,
installation of bullet proof barriers, security check posts,
CCTVs etc
• Structural requirements like replacement of lintels,
strengthening of structural members and additional columns
and beams.
• Due to changed requirements of the occupants. Change of use
of building may require extra lighting, conduits, extra
staircases, partitions, water tanks, chajjas, canopies etc.
User’s requirements may be by way of air-conditioners, ducts,
lights etc.

42. Change of drainage path
• By way of blockade
• By way of reduced area of drainage
path/pipes
• By way of paved areas
• By way of additional source of water
• By way of construction of additional
structures

49. Aging of structures, Climatic conditions,
Geological Changes and Disasters
• Aging of Structures: in
maintaining/preserving heritage structures,
working required is against natural process
• Climatic Conditions: protection and
resistance required
• Disasters: to rehabilitate as soon as possible
Preventive, and Preservation is also essential
with Repair and Restoration

50. Trees, Vegetation and Weed
• Trees, vegetation and weed hold the water
• Their roots get embedded in the structure
• If planted near structure, they damage
foundation
• Their roots change drainage path
• In certain soil conditions (Black cotton soil), they
lead to cracks due to expansion and shrinking
characteristics of soil
• They spoil the aesthetics of heritage structure if
not properly planned

57. ACs, lighting and lighting fixtures
• Lighting and lighting fixtures can damage
structure during installation
• Lighting intensity and colours are to be
selected suitably
• Dynamic facade lighting to be selected
carefully not to affect heritage structure and
not to diminish its aesthetics

64. Signage and Banners
• Proper signage compatible to the heritage
structure
• Material, Location, size and installation
process to be suiting to heritage structure

67. Encroachment
• A major problem particularly in Precincts,
approaches and even in heritage structures
• Sometimes encroachment removal is
extremely difficult due to “NO RESPECT TO
HERITAGE” and personal gains.
• Sometimes even encroachers have weightage
over government agencies
• Leads to poor maintenance

68. Precincts
• Major concern as this is the major difference between
heritage structures in our country and developed countries.
Such unplanned development also leads to poor
maintenance.
• Structures (Shops, kiosks, Security cabins, Toilets, Bus stops,
underpass etc)
• Roads and Paths
• Lighting poles, CCTV poles, Communication/lighting fixtures
• Signage
• Dustbins, malba, storage cabins
• No cleanliness
• And so on

89. Material, Methods and
Workmanship
• Materials must be compatible, durable and
aesthetic related to heritage structure not as
per present day considerations
• For example in place of steel reinforcement
tungsten can be used.
• In place of cement, mixture of cement and
pigments can be used.
• In place of stone broken, glass fibre blocks of
similar design and colours can be used.

101. General Attitude
• We maintain buildings from inside but exterior is not
given due importance
• “I am the boss” hence need facilities as per my choice
(toilet, AC, partition, flooring, false ceiling, and so on)
whatever be the status of the building.
• Over-rule the Rules
• अपने घर का कू ड़ा बाहर डाल दो. Hence precincts are not
maintained.
• Cleanliness is the responsibility of the government
• Try to encroach government land. It may be power symbol
• Essential facilities are not taken care required near
heritage structures
We do not respect the old as we feel new is better than old.

105. Conclusions
• Heritage to be given due importance and
recognition by way of Education, Engineering
and Enforcement. (By all stakeholders including
public).
• Heritage to be made source of income
• Repair and maintenance to be given technical
recognition
• Precincts should also be declared heritage.
There should be rules/SOP for the same.
• Facilities and safety should be designed near
heritage structures to avoid encroachments and
insecurity.

106. THANKS A LOT