Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the apex body which addresses civic issues in West Bengal capital, is going to introduce a new methodology for redefining the gradation of heritage buildings in the city.
Kolkata's mayor Firhad Hakim, who described the heritage sites and buildings as the identity of the city, said, “We have devised new methodology to protect and conserve heritage buildings both legally and logically. There are buildings that should be on the city's graded list of heritage buildings. I must say some buildings on the list don't deserve to be in that place.”
At an event organised by the Bengal Heritage Commission, on the last day of the World Heritage Week on Monday, the mayor said that there were 1,392 heritage buildings, out of which 717 are Grade I. Sources said a total of 216 in Grade 2A, and 119 in Grade 2B. Out of these, 170 Grade 1 listed buildings have been given 'Blue Plaques'.
Sources said KMC has studied the method of gradation of buildings in countries like China, Italy and Belgium and also some other Indian states for framing a scientific methodology for gradation. Himadri Guha, an expert of KMC’s Heritage Committee, said there are various inconsistencies in gradation because of lack of scientific method.
The MCDM methodology will also include the economic benefits of such heritage buildings as repurposing and monetising heritage buildings are common in Europe, USA, Australia, the Far East, and even South Asian countries. The method that has been named as Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) will be soon placed before the MmiC (Member Mayor in Council) for approval.
