Many priceless treasures of our history and heritage are lying in ruins testifying to the apathy of the powers that be. The Delhi Development Authority—DDA-- set up the Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation (DUHF) way back in 1999. The mandate of the Foundation was “to frame and implement policies for conservation of the city's built and natural heritage that needed protection and to promote conservation of civic and urban heritage like architecturally significant and historical landmarks, living monuments having socio-cultural values, memorials and historical gardens.”

The DUHF met on Tuesday, the 5th February “to assess the work done by various agencies, including the DDA, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi government, ASI, and INTACH among others to conserve and restore heritage buildings in the Capital”.

The seriousness of the intent of the DDA in looking after the Delhi’ heritage sites can be assessed by the fact that the DUHF has held only eight meetings since it came into being.

It goes to the credit of Mr. Tejendra Khanna, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, that he took interest in the conservation of the capital’s heritage. The result was that the DDA took up the matter of heritage conservation on priority basis.

Mr. Khanna is himself the head of the Foundation. While reviewing the performance of the body that works under him, he ordered the DDA to set up a dedicated heritage conservation and restoration unit with a specific mandate to take up the conservation and restoration work of the old, decrepit and unprotected monuments in Delhi.

A DDA official said that the L-G emphasized the importance of a more comprehensive plan to restore and conserve the city's built heritage. According to a survey carried out by INTACH and MCD, there are about 1,200 buildings and structures of historical importance that dot the Capital’s landscapes.

As a follow up of the directions, about 60% of the heritage buildings have been notified as protected sites and are looked after by the ASI. Though the remaining 40% are yet to be notified, they have been taken up by the DDA for conservation and restoration work.

The DDA has taken up the restoration work of nine non-protected heritage buildings under the direction of the DUHF. These buildings include Anglo Arabic School in the Walled City, Sultangarhi and Mehrauli archaeological park, the old guard house in Hindu College, a fountain near the Mehrauli archaeological park, among others.