Directed Research Project -A LAP of the Heritage Precinct of "Dhal ni Pol"

A Local Area Plan for the Heritage Precint of

DHAL ‘NI’ POL

graphics used in this report.

and special thanks to AMC & AWHCT for providing valuable information and insights.

Cover Page: Dhal Ni Pol after street improvement works, Source: Kamaldeep Kaur

In 2014, an amendment in the GTPUD Act of 1976 brought the provision of preparing Local Area Plans (LAP) for the renewal and regeneration of urban areas in the state of Gujarat. While this provision is intended to be applied widely for improving any type of existing urban areas, currently, this mechanism is used only to prepare Local Area Plans for improving urban areas falling under TOZ and CBD through incentivized redevelopment. And till now, there is no example of this statutory mechanism being used for preparing Local Area Plans for the heritage areas of core walled city. As this mechanism is still new, it is not yet applied for planning, conservation and enhancement of a heritage precincts. Planning, conservation and enhancement in a lived-in precinct with heritage value is very different from that of ASI monuments, structures or campuses. Such heritage precincts are continuously lived in, thriving places with complex overlaps of multiple real and virtual ownerships. Therefore the approach for improving such precincts while conserving their heritage values demand an carefully crafted, customized and participatory approach to planning and design of both public area and private realm. While participatory, inclusive approach plays a key role in planning and designing of public realm, incentive based regulations play key role in improving and/or conserving private realm. While stemming from sound principles of planning, design and conservation, such approach must be inclusive and pragmatic in order to

This document is an attempt to prepare a LAP for a heritage precinct of the Core Walled City of Ahmedabad, using Dhal ni Pol as the case. It is prepared using the learning from real experience of planning, designing and implementation on site, and is expected to be useful as an example and a ready reference for authorities, planners and professionals involved in preparing a Local Area Plan for heritage precincts.

Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Planning

Street view of Jagabhai Chowk, Dhal Ni Pol Source: Kamaldeep Kaur

Jagabhai Chowk during Uttarayan,

Ni Pol

INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

Archival image of Jami Mosque of Ahmedabad, Source: https://www.reckontalk.com/15-very-old-rare-pics-of-ahmedabad-

History & Evolution

The city of Ahmedabad, situated in the western Indian state of Gujarat was founded in 1411 by Ahmad Shah I of Gujarat Sultanate. The 600-yearold city’s origin can be traced back to its earliest settlements of Ashaval or Ashapalli situated on the eastern bank of Sabarmati River. The site for fortified city was strategically selected on higher planes of ravines considering the flow of the river and also for the future city expansion. Moreover, the river connected it with other cities and ports of Gujarat supporting the significant population of traders, merchants, and artisans.

The Bhadra Fort was the first establishment that commenced the city development with main axes leading towards the Jami Masjid. The settlements in walled city were densely planned with narrow meandering streets, giving privacy to settlement interiors, wherein markets and bazaars were located only on the main streets. The streets also facilitated surface water channels leading stormwater towards the river. The ‘purs’ currently known as wards constituted of ‘pol’ i.e.residential neighborhoods having more than a hundred houses of varied plot size.

The densely packed walled city saw progressive development by adapting to various cultures from the Sultanate era to the modern era. The monuments, Chowks, pol houses, Havelis, Kuwas, Khanchos, tankas, and bazaars of the walled city showcase influences from Islamic, Hindu, and Jain architecture

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This period displayed an important interchange of human values that truly reflected the culture of the ruling migrant communities which were

In 1572 A.D Mughal emperor Akbar took over the city and Mughal rein ruled During Mughal rein for initial 135 years Ahmedabad flourished in the textile business and became its

Later from 1758 A.D TO 1818 A.D, Ahmedabad witnessed disorder

While Maratha generals Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad seized the administrative reign and due to the dispute among them, the city observed heavy destruction.

From 1818 A.D. Ahmedabad had the next 60 years of steady progress British East India Company Military cantonment area was established in 1818 A.D while major developments started in 1861 with the establishment of Textile mill. Following this Railway line was laid in 1863, connecting Ahmedabad with Bombay, wherein the first Railway station was

Post-Independence, after Gujarat’s separation from Bombay state, Ahmedabad became the capital of Gujarat and from there the city started resulting in a significant center of modern architecture, city development, and space science through

Political timeline of Ahmedabad Source: Aditi Rai

Below: Shah Ahums Mosque; Rani Sipri’s Mosque https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/ ahmedabad-indias-first-unesco-world-heritage-city/

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Historic City Of Ahmadabad, AMC; (2). UNESCO;

Below:

Settlement Pattern in Jada

Pols and architectural style

The urban form evolved from central core branching out with the streets leading towards residential settlements called ‘pol’. The pol constituted of nearly 50-100 households living closely, eventually developing streets as urban elements for socializing. Each pol was densely built with meandering lanes, a cluster of houses along the streets, and thus formed the urban fabric of ‘Pur’ or mohalla. The geometry and character of these pols varied throughout the city that added to the rich heritage of the city. The pol in itself was a self-sufficient entity having elements such as a bird feeder (Chabutra), a well (Kuvo) and a temple, Khadki (inner entrances of the pol), and houses having underground tankas and a grain as its integral part. Some of the oldest Pols are Dhal-ni-pol, Mandav-ni-pol, and Muharat-ni-pol, etc. The scale and proportion of pol responded to Ahmedabad’s hot and dry climate. Row houses with two or three side shared walls reduced exposure to the extreme climate of the city. The Pols exhibits heritage values and cultural significance because of the lived-in community that carried these values in their traditions and unique art and architecture of pol houses.

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Teen Darwaaza and Bazaar, Jamelpur,

The houses in Pol followed traditional domestic wooden/timber-basedBelow

Pakhali Ni Pol, Khadia; Construction and organisation of spaces withing the Pol House, House at S. No. 3824, Pakhali Ni Pol, Khadia 1; Traditional Entrance Door

Detail of Bracket; Details of the facade depicting the cultural beliefs of the owner through elaborate wood carving replete with symbolic motifs; Wooden Pillar with

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Listing of Heritage Structures

For conserving the lived-in heritage structures within the core Walled city of Ahmedabad, an incentive and regulation based mechanism was adopted. For the same purpose, beneficiaries needed to be identified for which an extensive survey based on various parameters was done in 2013, followed by the notification of the same. The purpose of the survey was to prepare a list of Heritage Buildings within the walled city of Ahmedabad.

In 2001, a total of 12,502 structures were identified for listing by ULB, after which an official notification of the list was published in various newspapers inviting suggestions and modification within 5 months. The list created an unrest situation among the owners of listed properties as they had misconceptions pertaining to the zoning codes and restrictions offered by building regulations. Moreover, the concept of incentives was unclear to them, as they believed that incentives might be insufficient to avail monetary benefits. This misconception and unawareness resulted in the elimination of several structures from the list.

conservation of heritage of Ahmedabad. were identified

Conception to heritage of Ahmedabad Listing structures

The 2013 Heritage list extracted from a survey of buildings undertaken for UNESCO World Heritage City Inscription Dossier, identifies 2039 residential structures which were revised later in 2014, incorporating 2247 structures. The latest list updated by ULB was in 2016 that identifies a reduced count of 2236 residential structures with heritage value.

Heritage Listing Timeline

Elimination of numerous thelist .

Residential structures Structures in Dhal ni pol

Survey of buildings

UNESCO World

Inscription Dossier 2013 , by officials as a Notification in 2013

Residential structures Dhal ni pol structures eliminated changeinthegrading

Residential structures

Structures in Dhal ni pol

Structures/buildings and precincts of national or historical importance embodying excellence in architectural style, design; technology and material usage and/or aesthetics; they may be associated with a great historic event, personality, movement, or institution. They have been and are the prime landmarks of the region. All natural sites shall fall within Grade I.

Structures/buildings and precincts of regional importance possessing special architectural or aesthetic merit or cultural or historical significance though of a lower scale than Heritage Grade I. These act as landmarks that contribute to the image and identity of the region. These may be the work of master craftsmen or maybe models of proportion and ornamentation or

Structures/buildings and precincts of importance for townscape; they evoke architectural, aesthetic, or sociological interest through not as much as in Heritage Grade II. These contribute to determining the character of the locality and can be representative of the lifestyle of a particular community or region and may also be distinguished by setting on a street line, or special character of the facade and uniformity of height and scale.

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Heritage Nomination

Comprehensive General Development Control Regulations (C-GDCR-2017)

C-GDCR-2017, section 9.2.1 (Given in Chapter 8: Annexures in section 8.3.6) describes the list of permissible uses for the structures in Heritage areas. In the residential uses, the categorization has been done based on the typology of the housing that is permissible in the heritage areas and other

Semi-detached dwelling units, row-house, tenement, Apartments, hostels, Dharamshala, cottage industry, pre-

Apart from residential use, the other two uses permissible in this zone are Merchantile and Hospitability. Common uses pertaining to these are:

Shop, business, restaurant, shopping center, light home workshop, LPG cylinder godown, service establishment, clinic, Shopping mall, laboratory, nursing home, maternity home, kerosene depot, corporate offices, call centers, Bed and breakfast, guest house, lodging, and boarding

Likewise for the “Other Areas of the walled city”, along with the above

Temple, church, mosque, gurudwara, synagogue upashraya, Pre-schools, primary school, secondary and higher PHC, clinic, dispensary, indoor hospital upto 20 bed,

Apart from these there are some other permissible uses in these areas, like, temporary use, public utility, public institutional, sports & leisure, and recreation.

The above mentioned permissible uses promote a mixed-use typology in the pure residential urban fabric of the walled city. The structures are allowed to be used as shops, restaurants, shopping centers, godowns, and shopping

The permissible uses in the area are regulated on the basis of the width of

• For road width less than 9 m: Dwelling 1,2 & 3

• For road width of 9 m to less than 12 m: Dwelling 1,2 & 3; Merchantile-1&2, Hospitality

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For road width of 12 m to less than 18 m: Dwelling 1,2 & 3;

Structure Structure

For Heritage structures/buildings and precincts identified in the Heritage “parking requirement shall not be required if the proposed uses are hospitality and/or sympathetic adaptive re-use to residential”.

Though the C-GDCR, 2017 gave relaxation to ‘sympathetic adaptive re-use to residential’ but the tern is not defined and thus is free for interpretation by the officials and public, creating misunderstandings and ambiguity in the conservation process. For the other permissible uses in the historic areas, no description of parking requirements or relaxation is given.

For the other areas of the walled city and the non-listed or contributing structures, parking spaces for vehicles shall be provided within the building unit for every new building and/or extension in an existing building constructed for the first use and/or when the use of the old building is changed to any of the uses mentioned in planning regulations 8.12 (C-GDCR, 2017)

For Building-unit with an area less than 100sq.mts for residential use, parking shall not be required. For Building-units with area more than 100sq.mts, parking shall be provided as per Planning Regulation 8.12 (C-GDCR, 2017)

For Building-unit with an area less than 60sq.mts for non-residential use, parking shall not be required. For Building-units with area more than 60sq.mts, parking shall be provided as per Planning Regulation 8.12 (C-GDCR, 2017)

In case it is not feasible to provide the required parking as per Regulations due to any constraint, the Competent Authority may recover fees for deficit parking. This fee shall be decided by the Competent Authority and revised from time to time. (C-GDCR, 2017)

C-GDCR has taken an important step to establish the mandatory requirements for the management and conservation of the heritage character of the listed structures, buildings and precincts in notified historic areas. It is mandated that the owners of the listed heritage structure/buildings shall be required to conserve the following original aspects of their buildings:

iii. Character of Open Spaces such as courtyards, Khadki, streets, etc.

The regulations will help to retain the character of the heritage area to some extent. On the other side, the Non-listed structures or the contributing structures within heritage areas have no such restrictions or mandatory

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CONTEXT & DELINEATION OF BOUNDARY

Tourists in Dhal Ni Pol during Uttarayan, Source: Kamaldeep Kaur

Significance of Dhal ni Pol

Dhal-ni-pol has been a place of great value to the city of Ahmedabad as it is the origin of settlements in the city. It is rich in history and its character due to being the oldest and observing several cultures, traditions, and beliefs from 1411 A.D till today. Dhal-ni-pol formed the oldest settlement in the city and was called “Ashapalli”, “Ashaval”’ or “Ashabhil no Tekaro” established by Ashabhil in the 10th century. The pol has a unique character of its own as the settlement was inhabited before the reign of the Gujarat Sultanate. It has the oldest architectural form which was a mix of different styles. It consists of 100 Listed-heritage structures by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and these buildings/structures are of great historical value that needs to be conserved.

Apart from tangible heritage, Dhal-ni-pol is rich in intangible heritage due to the mix of the inhabitant’s origin, beliefs, and traditions. This is reflected in their everyday practices, art, and architecture. Different communities living in harmony in the dense urban fabric, socializing on streets, Otlas, balconies give pol its own identity and character which is reflective of its people and

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Raipur Darwaza

Raipur Darwaja

Astodia Darwaza

Astodia Darwaja

Rani Sipri’s

Dastur Khan’s Khadia II

Raipur Darwaja

Dastur Khan’s Mosque

radius of the prohibited zone

Vicinity of Dhal ni Pol

The built fabric of Dhal-ni-Pol is in line with the dense spatial structure of the walled city of Ahmedabad. The low rise, high-density typology built-up can be observed even at the edge areas of the walled city.

The main spine of the pol is the primary street providing access to the pol from Swami Vivekananda road abutting the pol boundary. This street comprises of significant Chowks and Chabutras such as Rasik chowk and Jagabhai no Chowk, which are major activity hotspots where most of the public activities and gatherings take place. With the changing lifestyle and commercialization of the pol, these spaces are being occupied by parking vehicles. The central spine extends from west to east, i.e. from pol entrance gate to some meters beyond Jagabhai no chowk and covers a stretch of 120m. The spine branches out into small lanes and pathways that connect to areas like Haldarwalo Khancho, Upri Sheri, Nichli Sheri, and to adjacent pols. The street width keeps on varying and ranges from 2m to 6m wide within the pol.

The average plot areas in Dhal ni pol are 60 sq.m with most of the plots having 100% ground coverage. Row houses with two or three side shared walls were a response to the harsh climate condition and availability of building materials and techniques used in this area. The densely packed row houses provide shade to the streets that are active spines for community activities. The building height varies from 6-12m, accumulating a maximum of 3-4 floors. According to the survey done by CEPT students, 67% of the structures have 3 floors with a central courtyard in the middle to allow light and ventilation. Due to the commercialization of the pol, recent developments such as residential apartments having 4-5 floors are constructed leading to

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Jagabhai Chowk

Pol Street Plots

Street view in Mancha Parekh ni Khadki; Modern structure and Historical structure,

As described in chapter 1-History and evolution, Dhal-ni-pol was the genesis point of Ahmedabad. It has observed several cultures, traditions, and beliefs whose influence is reflected in the art and architecture in the surrounding physical environment. Architectural style within pol is influenced by different reigns of the empires and their culture and art. The architectural style of the 12th Century is one of the oldest inherited architectural styles found in pol. It has facades depicting Hindu, Islamic, Jain, and Maratha architectural elements such as Jharokhas, S-shape brackets, and figures of god that are the strong influence of the religious ideologies of Swaminarayan, made out of intricate wooden carvings.

structures of grade-IIA, IIB and victorian style and belong composite in style, having Colonial; seven Eclectic

Victorian style structures have steep-gabled roofs, round angles, towers, turrets and dormers, bay windows, stained windows, stained glass, decorative woodwork, and have bright colours on the facade. The composite style structures can be identified through elements such as leaves, flowers on the column, and facade embellishments, elliptical arched openings with stain glass and balcony with cast-iron railings. The column style resembles to a Doric column, fused with Indian column order. The Eclectic and Art Deco Style structures can be identified through bright colors, pilasters, framing of full-length timber windows, and bold geometric forms of cubism with bright colours as a part of the masonry respectively.

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EXISTING SITUATION ANALYSIS

Goddess of Jamnadas Ni Khadki in Dhal Ni Pol,

Source: Arun Kumar

In order to understand the existing condition of private realm, following aspects were studied for all the properties within the boundary of the

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Degree of Intervention & Expertise for Conservation

Built vs Vacant

Ownership

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Above: Map source: MHT & Arun Kumar

of the

Size of Plots

Abandoned

total

Built Use

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Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Arun Kumar

Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

Built Height

FSI Consumption

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Right:

Husen Kharodawala & Arun Kumar

Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

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Built Character & Grading

Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

Built Condition

Built Style

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Below condition near Asha Bhil NoTekro within

Haldarvar

Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Arun Kumar

Vulnerability to Lose Heritage

of the total 62 structures contributing to heritage character, 24 are protected under statutory framework as heritage but rest 38 structures

not

and thus are vulnerable to

their

ranked from 6 to 1 based on their location and

Vulnerability to Lose Heritage Character

Jantri rates within the walled city are highest within the central market area of Teen Darwaza, Jamalpur, and Khadia-3, as we move towards the city wall rates starts to go down. Dhal ni Pol is situated along the city wall and has one of the lowest jantri rates in the walled city ranging from 18,000 Rs/sq.m within the khancho/ khadkis to 19,750 Rs/sq.m closer to the arterial road. It

22-31,000Rs/sq.m Khadia-1, Jamalpur-1, Kalupur-2, Dariapur-1&2

34-38,000Rs/sq.m

Khadia-3, Jamalpur-2, Shahpur-2, Kalupur-3

18-21,000Rs/sq.m

Khadia-2, Shahpur-1, Raikhad,

Jantri Rates

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Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

only 40% out of that are listed heritage and protected by statutory provisions. Remaining 60% are the most vulnerable structures and require urgent structural retrofitting. This has happened due to the poor economic condition of the residents, many of them are living on rental basis and do not own the house. Owners are reluctant to maintain the structure due to rent

Subdivision of land creating problems for achieving

30% structures of the precinct fall below the minimum habitable standards and 72.5% structures out of them have redeveloped due to the subdivision

A net FSI of 2.5 and 3-floor height is the native built

57.3% structures consuming an FSI of 2-2.7 are 3 floors high. 66.6% of them are pol houses that are not redeveloped. 62% of the heritage-listed

Market prices within the precinct range from 1.5 to

The market price of structures within Khadia ranges from 21,000 Rs./ sq.m to 1.70,000 Rs./sq.m due to appreciation in the value of conserved heritage structures. This appreciated value is amongst the highest within

Market Rates in Ahmedabad

Below:

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1. Husen Kharodawala (2019),Revitalisation of Urban Areas With Heritage Value. (Master’s Thesis,

2. Kriti (2018),Improving Physical Infrastructure while Conserving Heritage Character of Dhal Ni Pol, Ahmedabad. (Master’s Thesis, CEPT

Below:

Public Realm in Dhal Ni Pol

24.7% area of the precinct is under public use which includes streets and chowks, while 6.3% area is under semi-public use including the otlas and

30.8% of the public realm is constituted by the pol street which is the main street connecting different pols with each other. Vehicles are generally restricted to these streets. 29.2% area goes in khadki/khancho which are dead ends or cul de sacs generally pedestrian in nature thus used as a play area for kids. Chowks constitute 19.8% area which are community gathering places generally marked by a bird feeder or plaza with benches. Otlas/ chowkdi are semi-public spaces used by residents to sit and interact with

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Above: Map source: Kamaldeep Kaur

Jantri Rates

Children playing in Haldarvar No Khancho

Chowk

Landmarks and their Significance

The precinct has 3 birdfeeders or chabutras with water points, an entrance gateway to the pol, a well inside Haldarvad no khancho, an AMC school and

Otlas and chowkdi are spaces of cultural significance as it is connected to the life in pol houses of the walled city since the 14th century. These spaces offer an interactive interface to a house especially for women who

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Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Kamaldeep Kaur

Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Kamaldeep Kaur

Landmarks

front of their house is culutral tradition practiced in daily lives within the precinct, Source: Theory & City Form: A Case of Ahmedabad,

used to stay at home most of the times. While chabutras and wells are also

Entrances and chowks are the most active spaces in the morning and evening time within the precinct, as they provide pause points between the circulation. Otlas and khancho are mostly used during morning and evening time by the women for their daily chores and interaction, while their children

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Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Kamaldeep Kaur

Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Kamaldeep Kaur

Active Spaces in Public Realm

Pol streets having vehicular movement are covered with asphalt while other streets in Khadki and Khancho are paved with Kota stones. Level of streets has also risen due to resurfacing over the damaged streets thus, disturbing the natural slope and topography which results in flooding of houses during monsoons. Most of the time, some part of the street is always dug up due to old/deteriorated infrastructure disturbing the movement of pol residents. The streets in the precinct are highly unorganised with no clearly defined movement and non-movement area leading to encroachment by parked vehicles, vendors, tea stalls and small retail shops.

The urban morphology of the precinct dates back to the 14th century when there were no vehicles around. But, today owning a 2 wheeler and 4 wheeler have become a mandate of a better standard of living. It has led to haphazard street parking on the pol streets causing congestion and degradation of the street network. It has also led to the conversion of vacant, demolished plots,

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Vehicular+Pedestrian Pedestrian

Right: Khadki with kota stone surface in Dhal Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

Water supply in Dhal ni Pol comes from Astodia Pumping Station through a trunk line of 450mm running on the main arterial road. From this trunk line, a 200mm water pipe brings the connection to the main streets of pol form where it gets distributed to smaller streets via a 100mm pipeline. From this pipeline, the individual households get a connection via 12mm pipe. The water supply comes for 2-3 hours daily in the morning and quality of water is poor due to leakage in pipes and mixing of sewage, hence people are prone to water-borne diseases like typhoid and jaundice.

Laid in 1921, the sewerage network of walled city has become old/ dilapidated, interrupted with haphazard and illegal connections. There have been cases of sewage backflow inside the houses. Gully traps are also missing at several places creating problems of odour and foul smell of sewerage inside the houses. A stormwater drainage system is also not present within

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Right: permanently at Rasik Chowk, Dhal Ni Pol

Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

Mapping of existing infrastructure below and above the ground includes:

Solid waste is collected daily from door to door by AMC in small trolleys. AMC has also provided separate dust bins for commercial and informal uses which are kept outside the shops. There are some vacant plots and chowks that are filled with garbage thrown by the residents. Some of them keep food items on the streets to be eaten by stray animals.

Streetlights within the precinct lack consistency in their design and heights and have a lux level of 2m leaving dark patches in between. Some of them are in the middle of the street especially the one at Rasik Chowk creating hindrance in movement. Aesthetically also the streetlight designs are not harmonious to the heritage character of the precinct.

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Above: Map source: Kriti & Kamaldeep Kaur

Above: Map source: Kriti & Kamaldeep Kaur

Solid Waste Dumping Location

Electricity connections within the pol have been changed recently by Torrent powers and laid underground at a depth of 0.5-0.8m from the ground level. But, there is an issue of hanging GTPL (cable) wires over the streets in a tangled position, with kites hanging from it destroying the heritage character

Signages play an important role in adding to the character of the precinct. Although most of the signages in the precinct are privately governed hoardings and advertisements and doesn’t follow any particular style.

Signages

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Above: Map source: Kriti & Kamaldeep Kaur

Above: Map source: Husen Kharodawala & Kamaldeep Kaur

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Intangible Aspects

Socio-economic Condition

To understand about the people of Dhal Ni Pol, their culture, traditions, and local histories, a household survey was conducted by MHT & CEPT students. A total of 95 households took part in the survey which included

Below:

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Around 67% of residents are living in the precinct for more than 40 years which shows the emotional and cultural attachment to the precinct. There is a sense of belongingness amongst the residents. But this has also led to a stagnancy in the housing market, as maintaining traditional structures requires heavy investment, and low-income levels make them go into dilapidation leading to lower market prices and ultimately, redevelopment

Out of 96 households, 74% said some members of their family have shifted outside the precinct while 26% said the full family is staying within, which means most of the original property has been subdivided and redeveloped into smaller units creating problems of lack of ventilation, hygiene and

family’s member have shifted outside full family staying within the precinct

93% households want to stay within the precinct while 54% will stay only if they get better quality of life, which shows resident’s perception about the deteriorating condition of the precinct and expect some positive

willing to stay if gets better quality of life

One of the reasons for the degradation of urban life and heritage character within the precinct is the presence of elderly people with low educational profile and low-income levels. Due to lower-income levels, residents find it difficult to conserve their pol houses causing them to go into dilapidation or eventual demolition. Emotional and cultural attachment to the precinct also leads to eventual degradation as family size increases over the years causing a space crunch and subdivision of property.

Temples

Dhal ni pol has been getting a lot of attention in the print media and social network. This encouraged some youngster from the pol to start their own youth club and organizing storytelling sessions, conducting heritage walks and sensitizing the residents towards heritage and its importance.

As per Hindu mythology, Uttarayan is an auspicious day, which symbolically marks a new and wealthy beginning of any new activity, business, or job that requires good luck. Scientifically, the day marks the shift in the movement of earth into the northern celestial sphere. The day of Uttarayan in Ahmedabad, especially in the walled city, starts with the taste of Fafda-Jalebi, Undhiyo and other local delicacies. People then gather on their terraces to fly kites and that too in an incredibly competitive manner cutting and collecting each other’s kites as rewards of their win. Terraces in Dhal ni pol are filled with residents, their relatives and friends staying in the western part of the city, and tourists staying in heritage homestays. Due to increasing footfall of tourists, every year, to experience Uttarayan in the walled city, residents have started renting out their terraces for 10-11,000 a day and provides them

On the occasion of World Heritage Week, Mahila Housing Trust (MHT) and Centre for Environment Education (CEE) conducts heritage walks for school children to showcase the culture of pol and its heritage.

Celebrated on World Heritage Week, this 8-day long festival is the grand fest organized by Brihati Foundation which has been working towards reviving the pol houses and urban character by giving it a contemporary art twist. Streets are filled with handmade lights and artwork. The festival includes exhibitions, heritage walks, painting workshops, food and yoga workshops, music and dance performances. It is a celebration of public spaces, culture, and heritage of the pol.

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Above: Map source: Arun Kumar

Below

of Dhal Ni Pol doing Sheri Garba during

Source: Old city continues tradition of Sheri Garba.

Source: VTV

Residents celebrating Uttarayan on their

14 km long route finally resting in the Jagannath Temple. The procession starts with elephants dressed with decorations followed by Akhadavalas, Athletes, Gymnasts, Bhajan Mandalis who try to impress the deity with their talent. The festival is attended by thousands of people who gather around

During the Navnirman movement of 1974, several clashes between the students of Gujarat University and police had occurred in the city. In one of these clashes in Dhal ni Pol, a house sparrow got killed by the police firing and on the same spot where the bird was killed, a memorial stone has been put up by the local community which also conducted its last rites. The bird is still remembered by the residents by keeping bird feed and oil lamps near

Indian tradition considers feeding birds especially pigeons to be auspicious. The tradition takes the shape of architecture in Gujarat where Chabutra (Resting place for Pigeons) is built at almost every village centre and chowk of the pol. This community tradition is still alive in Dhal ni pol where 3 Chabutras are present within the precinct boundary maintained by AMC and community itself.

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Indian traditional architecture is known for having an introvert plan with one or two courtyards serving the purpose of ventilation and light. But apart from that, it is also a well-lit open space that hosts certain activities like leisure sitting, drying out of grains, clothes, growing plants especially Tulsi. In the Vastu-Shastra the ancient Indian treatise of architecture, a courtyard is considered as the most auspicious space in the structure and called as Brahmasthana. Similarly, pol houses within the Dhal ni pol still have a chowk with a swing, but a lot of redeveloped structures have ignored this traditional architectural practice to get some extra yards of space.

An otla is an interactive space at the entrance of a pol house that acts like a semi-public space and used by the family members to sit and have a chat with neighbours. With the new styles of construction and change in lifestyle, otlas are slowly losing their place in modern architecture.

Dhal ni pol is a Hindu majoritarian pol of the walled city with rich cultural heritage and traditions that are still followed be it the Sheri Garba, kite flying during Uttarayan or just the daily life of the pol. Several, conservation and heritage awareness initiatives have made people realize their traditions as an intangible heritage that needs to be protected and reinvented. Some of these traditional practices are fighting hard to survive as per constantly

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Above: Map source: Kriti & Arun Kumar

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Facing Page:

APPROACH & CONCEPT

Pol typology in Dhal Ni Pol,

Right: Map of Ahmedabad Walled City showing all the wards and Dhal Ni Pol LAP boundary, Source: World Heritage Nomination Dossier - Historic City Of Ahmadabad, Arun Kumar

Regeneration of Dhal Ni Pol as a ‘Prime’ residential historic precinct having increased property value and living standards with heritage tourism as a mode of economy generation and TDR as a tool of funding.

Increased Property Value

Higher Living Standards Conservation, redevelopment, Improved infrastructure

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1.Ghosh, D. (2015). Urban Heritage in

Dhal Ni Pol LAP

1.UNESCO. (2011). Recommendation

Holistic Development for social & economic upliftment

Improvement by conserving tangible & intangible

Conservation of heritage triggers the revival of traditional practices creating a sense of pride within the community. It also increases the tourism potential which further creates more demand for conservation.

Improvement in public realm through projects and

Infrastructure up-gradation is the most important part of urban renewal that uplifts the standard of living as well as the property value within the precinct. Thus it becomes important to prepare comprehensive proposals for improvement of the public realm with the help of professionals and NGO’s

1. Upgradation of underground infrastructure including sewerage,

2. Upgradation of on-ground infrastructure including street width, paving,

3. Improving the green infrastructure by adding more parks, greenery

4. Providing the required social infrastructure by utilizing vacant plots and

5. Proving urban design guidelines for improving aesthetics and street

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Above:

Conservation

Funding

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Infrastructure improvement telephone

Defined non-movement area

Street facades to be conserved & repainted as per conservation guidelines

Defined movement area for

Plaza for residents, as interactive spaces

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Right:

improvement,

Kamaldeep

facilitate redevelopment of non-

Enough Incentives to conservation of heritage listed structures

Strict regulations, guidelines & Incentives to facilitate redevelopment of contributing

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PUBLIC REALM IMPROVEMENT

A child playing with kite during Uttarayan

Kamaldeep Kaur

Components of Public Realm

The Public Realm constitutes of three components namely, space, enclosure, and life, where life is a resultant component. As life gets shaped by the space

Components of Public Realm

Intangible

Life like community/individual activities, practices, behaviors, etc.

The space is defined by the ground, the building and the

The buildings/facades (vertical), the ground (horizontal), and the physical elements like chabutra, otla, etc. that form an

People that inhabit the public realm and the way they use the

are important public gathering places for the community that reflect the history, culture, and unique character of Dhal-ni-pol and people.

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in Haldarwado Khancho, Girdhardas ni

Edges and Facades forms a part of built heritage that is a crucial and irreplaceable architecture associated with history and culture. It is proof of social, cultural, and civilizational refinement.

Likewise, it adds to the cultural identity of the local community.

The architectural elements of heritage buildings like facades, Otlas, windows, doors/openings, Chowkdis, and Pols (columns) allows permeability and semi-public interactive spaces. These elements help in contributing to the heritage character of the precinct by allowing the local community to practice their social, cultural and religious activities.

Dhal ni Pol Building edge map

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Above: Map source: Kamaldeep Kaur

Street Edge condition in

ni Pol, Source: Kamaldeep Kaur

Morning

High

Improving Public Realm

Need for improving Public Realm?

Dhal-ni-pol formed the oldest settlement in the city and was called “Ashapalli”, “Ashaval”’ or “Ashabhil no Tekaro” established by Ashabhil in the 10th century. The precinct has observed several changes from its establishment till today but the lack of interventions to improve the Pol, resulted in deterioration of the physical environment such as streets, infrastructure, and aesthetics of pol. This resulted in a diminishing overall urban character and environment of the precinct. Due to poor physical environment, precinct witnessed reverse gentrification of residential units turning into Godowns that further added to the deterioration of precinct character. These tangible issues gave rise to intangible community issues such as, diminishing quality of life and community pride that eventually facilitated lower property values. Thus to improve and conserve the heritage character of the precinct, these tangible/ physical issues need to be addressed. Therefore, improving public realm can play a crucial role in addressing such issues and ultimately improving the

Intangible/Community issues

Diminishing Quality of Life

Diminishing Community Pride

Reduced Sense of Belonging

Reduction of Property Value

Need for improving Public Realm

To cater tangible issues and ultimately

How Public Realm can be improved?

As public realm consists of space, enclosure and life, thus the solutions to improve public realm must address issues improving both public realm as well as street facades that are part of private realm in a comprehensive way. Therefore, to cater tangible issues resulting in deteriorating of the heritage character, physical environment and over all image of the precinct, public realm improvement can be carried out with the following solutions:

I. Improving public realm through design, planning and execution.

II. Improving public realm through guidelines, incentives, and

These potential solutions will improve the tangible aspect of public realm, through which the intangible issues such as, diminishing quality of life, community pride, sense of belonging and reduced property value in heritage

These potential solutions and their results are discussed in detail in section 5.3 and 5.4 respectively.

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Design and Planning of Dhal ni Pol

Dhal-ni-pol Public realm improvement project was initiated by Mahilla Housing Trust in collaboration with SELCO Foundation and CEPT University. For the design and planning of Dhal ni Pol, MHT and CEPT team was clear and followed an integrated design process and involved stakeholder for successful implementation of the project. The process they followed is

Initial Observations and interactions with

of

Below

Hanging cables, Dilapidated structures,

Dhal-ni-Pol,

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Dhal-ni-pol Public realm improvement design and planning process is

Below showing issues with streets- Non-durable paving material, Digging for infrastructure heritage character, Non-cohesive street furniture, Waste disposal near vendors within Dhal-ni-Pol,

Dhal ni pol lacks above street facilities like street furniture which further consists of the adequate number of street lights, dustbins, and benches.

In the absence of street lights, the activities of pol residents are restricted during the daytime, moreover, the heritage facades at night are not visible.

Street benches can be seen in different areas in the precinct but these neither follow any homogeneous material or style nor are in coherence with heritage character and thus disturb the visual heritage character.

Cleanliness is another major issue in pol, as there are many spots being used as open dumpsites. Food and dry waste such as wraps and used cups can be seen near tea stalls and vendors. This is due to the lack of waste management. Moreover, there are no dustbins on the streets to encourage residents to dump their daily household waste. Furthermore, pol residents follow traditional customs of feeding stray animals, which adds to the garbage spilling on the streets.

Exposed TV cables, telephone, internet, and electrical wires result in visual pollution and hinder the view of heritage facades. Furthermore, outdoor meter box, AC units facing streets, adds to the visual noise. New constructions have started to develop outdoor toilets and washing areas which completely hampers public interaction on streets.

New developments within heritage precinct especially commercial units use hoardings and signages to promote their business. These hoardings are not in proportion with the size of the facade and moreover have different colours, sizes, and font for nomenclature and thus result in the addition of visual noise. Furthermore, the name-plates outside some heritage structures are not in coherence with heritage character.

Streets in the precinct have varying widths leading to bottlenecks, that results in blockage of fire safety vehicle. In case of fire hazard, the safety vehicle will not be able to enter such streets and thus all the heritage and non-heritage structures are at high risk of fire hazard.

The precinct has very fewer greens. Few residential units have taken the initiative to plant outside or in balconies. There are some old trees that traditionally acted as public spaces for gathering but are now used for

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New developments in heritage precinct use different materials that are not in coherence with traditionally used material, resulting in blank and contrasting facades. Moreover, the material used is not climate responsive. This change is also a result of non-availability and high cost of traditional material, craftsmen, and ease in the availability of cheaper alternatives like cement, glass, steel, etc. However, the change in material resulted in the diminishing aesthetics of the precinct.

Modernization of facades leads to colour scheme that is different than that of the heritage structures. Some structures have gaudy paints, resulting in a visual imbalance of street edges. These colour palettes do not enhance the heritage character of the precinct. Moreover, it disturbs the aesthetics of the pol.

Below

concrete facades, Use of steel shutters, Gaudi facade paint disturbing heritage character of Dhal-ni-Pol,

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community leaders, experts from AMC

A detailed physical feature survey and neighbourhood survey was conducted. In physical features, all heritage aspects like heritage streets, buildings, Chabutras were surveyed. A primary household survey was conducted to identify issues, strengths, historically, culturally, and socially important

Base map preparation and analysis

Precinct boundary was delineated for improvement project and a base map was prepared for the same with the help of surveys. Different layers of maps were laid on top of the base map for analysis. These layers of maps were prepared by CEPT students for analysis of parking, vending, underground infrastructure, street lighting, furniture, and street edges, etc. The analysis helped to identify the location of different street elements, infrastructure present in the precinct that further helped in tracing issues pertaining to the same. The analysis was based on; site visits, workshops, physical features,

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Jagabhai Chowk

Otla WellChowkdi/wash

Stakeholder engagement - Workshop 2

Stakeholder engagement-Workshop 2 was conducted on 7 April 2018 by MHT to follow up with the Pol community. The purpose of the workshop was to present the conceptual design to the community and get their feedback and suggestions. A conceptual design presentation was presented followed by an open discussion for further recommendations in the design. The parking management system was decided along with stakeholders. The workshop helped in finalizing interventions and their priority according to

Further suggestions were made to include in design namely, as houses are made of wood so there is a constant fear of fire hazard. Moreover, the narrow streets of pol adds to the as sewer lines were old, thus many houses in

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Existing picture of Dhal ni Pol entrance, Before

Preparing Schematic Design

Schematic design was prepared with a detailed list of improvements that must be implemented to achieve the vision and conceptual design. The design included the details of interventions to improve below surface, and

While preparing design the narrow width of the street was considered and thus underground dry and services were laid on one side and wet services on the other side. The estimated cost involved in all these components was

For improving underground/ below surface infrastructure following such as sewage line, water supply pipeline, stormwater network, fire fighting system on the left-hand side, and all electrical cables for torrent, telecommunication, and street lights on the right-hand side of the street. Cross over pipes are detailed to avoid

For improving on surface infrastructure following components of the such as paving material for movement and non-

For improving above surface infrastructure following components such as street lights, dustbins, benches fire

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Inauguration of Heritage Well conserved

Stakeholder Engagement- Workshop 3

Stakeholder engagement-workshop 3 was conducted to discuss implementation details and phasing. Final design proposal and implementation phasing was the key agenda for discussion in this workshop. Suggestions regarding the same were taken from residents, councillors, AMC officials, and other leaders of the community. Following this, suggestions from community and AMC officials were taken for selection of paving material, paving design, and street lights. Involving stakeholders in each step helped

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Community Issues

Improving quality

DhalNiPolLocalAreaPlanWithintheWalledCityofAhmedabad

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Jagabhai Chowk

Dhal ni Pol Final Detail Design

Above: Map Source: MHT, Kamaldeep Kaur

Proposed key layers

avoid frequent

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Right: node near Haldarwado Khancho showing

After striping picture of major node near Haldarwado Khancho showing organised

designated movement, non-movement, showing unorganised street and other designated movement, non-movement, vending, parking and public areas, Before picture of Dhal ni Pol entrance gate showing unorganised street and designated movement, non-movement

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Above:

To implement work on the site, it is crucial to engage with stakeholders and

Commencement of work on site included various steps which are discussed

Measures before the execution of work

I. Preparing alternative routes & storage location

Alternative routes for vehicular movement were arranged to avoid hindering their movement. To prevent blockage of streets and visual chaos, locations such as abandoned and closed houses, temples for storing construction

II. Creating awareness through signage and posters

Posters and signages were maid to create awareness among the community and visitors regarding the project and construction. Sample stretch, its plan and 3D visuals of existing and proposed design were shown in these posters.

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Lines and levels were marked on the streets before the commencement of work. Marking was made for movement and non-movement areas.

ceremony done by community,

Process of execution of work

Excavation and laying of Electrical Cables, Street Light Cables, BSNL and TV cables on RHS

Excavation of trench on the right-hand side of the street was executed for laying electrical cables, street light cables, BSNL, and TV cables. The trench was excavated on one side to allow movement. Access to houses on the excavated side was prepared. Different agencies providing these services were coordinated to lay their cables. MHT executed laying street light cables whereas Torrent, GTPL, BSNL laid electrical and telecommunication cables.

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Above:

Below:

Pressure testing of Fire Fighting system

Fire post was installed and the hydro test was conducted to ensure reliability by determining the pressure and rate of flow of water under any fire hazard.

Excavation of road surface and laying of Water Network, Sewage network, re-leveling and installing manhole covers, gully traps, chamber covers, etc

The road surface was excavated and work for the Water network & Sewage network was carried out by AMC’s engineering department. AMC team extended its full support for the project. The work included replacing old, deteriorated, and damaged pipes and joints, replacing and lowering the manhole covers, gully traps, chamber covers to match the new lower levels,

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Laying the foundation for Street Lights, Otlas and

Earlier Otlas and Chowkdis were demolished to lower the increase in street level. Therefore, the foundation for street light, Otlas, Chowkdis,

After laying all services, backfilling was executed followed by compaction. Soil compaction and level checks are conducted to ensure soil is compacted

After compaction, concreting with PCC was executed above compacted soil. Concreting will ensure the load distribution of vehicular movement.

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Below:

Laying different paver blocks as per the design

Different pavers blocks for movement and non-movement areas were laid on top of PCC with cement mortar. Due to curvature in street, pavers were cut into numerous shapes that required skilled labour and time.

Installation of above surface elements including Street Lights, Dustbins and other street furniture

After completion of road surfacing, the installation of the above street elements was executed. Street lights, dustbins, fire post, and other street furniture were installed, construction of demolished ramps and Otlas was

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Improving Public Realm through guidelines, incentives & management

Apart from physical infrastructure improvement project, improvement of facades that are part of the private realm is necessary. Guidelines for facade improvement and conservation are proposed to retain the elements contributing to the unique character of the precinct. To ensure and encourage private developers/owners to follow these guidelines, various incentives are proposed. The guidelines are discussed in detail below, followed by details of

Guidelines for facade improvement and

In order to improve and conserve the heritage character of the precinct, the elements contributing to it are identified which are as follows:

Elements of a Typical Pol House Facade that

According to the detailed study of the Dhal-ni-Pol precinct, the elements shown in the above figure are considered as the essential elements contributing to the heritage character of the precinct. After careful study of these elements ‘Facade Improvement and Conservation Guidelines’ are prepared and are broadly categorized into the following 5 parts:

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COLUMN OTLA

II. Semi-open Public spaces

Semi-open public spaces include Otlas, verandas, balconies, and elements on these like projections, brackets, column, and pilasters. Following are the guidelines that shall be followed to encourage heritage character.

To maintain proportions in house facades, the entrance of houses shall be recessed to make provision for semi-open space such as a Veranda or an Otla to promote social interaction between the street and the built form.

max height from FRL

Balconies and other projections such as colonnaded frontages or recessed doors and bay windows shall follow modules from adjacent heritage structures. For maximum permeability, existing balconies and verandas shall

Mandatory permeability

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facade

Material and paint include all material and paints used in construction of facades such as, awning, weather shed, door and window material. Following are the guidelines that should be followed to support and enhance the

8. Awning and Weather-shed Projection

For awning to be in coherence with traditional design and apperance, it shall be a traditional Wooden design with a minimum projection of 750 mm. Retractable canvas awnings are also encouraged but traditional awnings are prefered as simple and cheap way of retaining the heritage streetscape in

750 mm minimum projection

Use of traditional material

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Lighting includes sign lights, window lights, architectural lighting, and general area lighting. Following are the guidelines that should be followed to

To highlight building features and illuminate dark corners of the street, sign lights, window lights, architectural lighting, and general area lighting shall be used. The amount and intensity of light shall be sufficient to “wash” a facade

The lighting used shall have clear light illumination that does not distort the colour of building materials and finishes. For instance, Coloured bulbs or gels, high-pressure sodium vapour bulbs, and tubular fluorescents are

To avoid disturbing heritage facades and street elements, lighting fixtures shall be of a minimum possible size and shall be hidden behind parapets, screened with landscaping, or attached to separate structures, such as light

Lighting to enhance elements

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highlight elevation features

To be used on Doors, Windows, beams, columns and balconies

Wall-mounted Luminaires (Down-lighter/Uplighter)

Revitalization of Urban Areas with Heritage Value DRP Dhal ni pol, Ahmedabad

Spotlight illuminating Architectural Elements

Illustration for Application of Facade regulations on existing structure of the Pol precinct

Incentives for improvement

To encourage private owners of heritage and contributing structure to conserve and redevelop/develop new structures in coherence with heritage character, incentives of different kinds are proposed. Likewise, to enhance professionals’ involvement in the conservation process, incentives are

Incentives in the form of heritage TDR shall be given to the owners of heritage structures on the built-up area on sympathetic conservation and adaptive reuse of their properties. The TDR incentives shall be based on condition, grading of the structure, and cost required for its conservation.

Conservation = HTDR

TDR as incentive for conservation of heritage structures

Incentives in the form of heritage TDR shall be given to owners of contributing structures that redevelop/construct their property by appointing architect/ engineer/contractor empaneled with AMC. The design shall follow “ Guidelines for facade Improvement and Conservation”, in order to create facades similar to heritage structures by using a similar style, layout and

in heritage style = HTDR

TDR as incentive for structures revedeloping in heritage style

Extra incentives shall be given to property owners/developers, who apply for TDR within 6 months of the notification of the Local Area Plan.

Extra TDR

4. For Professionals & Craftsperson

First preference will be given to the local professionals such as architects, engineers, planners, craftsmen and designers that will get registered with the AMC Heritage Department for providing their expertise in the conservation/ revival/construction of properties within heritage precinct at a remuneration

Register for recognition

Professionals registered will get first preference for heritage project

***For more details of incentives, refer to chapter 6

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Husen Kharodawala

Community members shall select a person/group of persons that will be responsible for providing permit stickers for parking and vending, monitor parking and vending activities and collect charges of visitor parking. The collected revenue from parking can be used for the precinct development.

Cost Estimate of Public Realm improvement

As discussed in previous sections, the Public Realm improvement includes improvement of elements from both Public as well as Private Realm, thus cost estimate for implementing Local Area Plan shall include cost estimates

ii. Stakeholder and Community Participation Cost

The table below identifies the cost items that must be considered in cost

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Dhal ni Pol Public Realm Improvement project considered the items

Key learnings from Dhal ni Pol Public Realm Improvement Project

Coordinated Design, Planning and execution

Dhal ni pol improvement pilot project showcased that for improving Heritage precincts a well-coordinated design and planning effort is crucial followed by coordinated project execution. It was observed in the pilot project that the current method of functioning by Municipal Corporation is fragmented between various departments and lacks coordinating mechanisms amongst them. This very aspect needs to change for Heritage Precinct improvement

Investing more time than usual projects

In the pilot project, it is observed that such projects require more time due to stakeholder engagement. Moreover, heritage precincts have narrow streets because of which micro-phasing is needed to manage execution. Thus the project takes more time from designing to execution which is typically not

Investing more money than usual projects

Such projects need more money/ budgetary provisions than regular road projects or street improvement projects that AMC typically engage in. Therefore Heritage precinct improvement projects shall not be modeled

The current tendering based approach wherein tender is awarded to the lowest bidder will not function in such projects as the material and construction techniques required in heritage precinct project are not standard items covered under standard SOR (Schedule and Rates). Moreover, the complexity of work phasing and unforeseen challenges in underground work as well as dealing with locals adds up in the project cost. Therefore the L-1 system of tendering will result in low quality and will fail to ensure the

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Grants from International bodies Funding from NGO’s

Engaging Community through workshops, informal meetings, events , etc.

Recommendation for the appointment of consultants and contractors

It is recommended that such projects shall be envisioned as special projects

Design and planning through surveys and multi-stakeholder consultations

Engaging Authorities from AMC, Heritage department, private agencies

In this stage qualified team of designers, planners, engineers, historians, and conservationists shall be appointed by AMC and as a client, AMC needs to ensure that all stakeholders are engaged in this process. A Special Stakeholder Engagement team/consultants shall be appointed as a part of this team from initial designing to execution phase to deal with and engage with stakeholders, coordinate with contractors and the AMC team and

As the project shall be considered a special project, therefore a separate empanelment/selection of qualified contractors shall be conducted through competitive bidding on QCBS basis (preferably using 80-20 criteria). A project execution cell shall be established in AMC that must have a key engineer/staff member that will be responsible for regular monitoring of the

Engagemet

ofqualified throughcompetitivebiddingon

EstablishProjectExecutionCellinAMC, havingakeyengineer/StaffmemberofAMC

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Architects , Conservationists,Designers,