What is a heritage building?

Heritage building means and includes any building of one or more premises or
any part thereof and/or structure and/or artifact which requires conservation and /
or preservation for historical and / or architectural and / or artisanary and /or
aesthetic and/or cultural and/or environmental and/or ecological purpose.
What is a heritage precints?
Heritage Precincts means and includes any space that requires conservation
and /or preservation for historical and / or architectural and/or aesthetic and/or
cultural and/or environmental and/or ecological purpose. Walls or other boundaries
of a pm articular area or place or building or may enclose such space by an
imaginary line drawn around it.
Legal and statutory framework
Heritage in India is regulated and protected by The Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological (Sites and Remains) Act, 1958 (ASI Act) and in addition the
respective States have counterpart legislations to regulate and protect monuments
under Their purview. Heritage can also be protected and regulated through the
Urban and Regional Planning and Development Acts, and Urban Local Bodies
Acts (ULBs) and their building bye-laws.

Ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains

act 1958
Construction in protected areas: No person, including the owner or occupier of a protected area,shall
construct any building within the protected area or carryon any mining,
quarrying, excavating, blasting or any operationof a like nature in such area,
or utilise such area or any partthereof in any other manner without the
permission of the Central Government.
The Central Government may, by order, direct that any building constructed
by any person within a protected area in contravention of the provisions of
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sub-section (1) shall be removed within a specified period and, if the person
refuses or fails to comply with the order, the Collector may cause the
building to be removed and the person shall be liable to pay the cost of such
removal.

Special conservation plans: Each local body/ land owning agency should formulate Special
Development Plans for the conservation and improvement of listed heritage
complexes and zones. Alteration or demolition of any building is prohibited
in the listed heritage complexes and zones without the prior approval of the
Competent Authority.
The Government of India has amended Building Byelaws 1993, wide
Clause 23 and inserted a chapter on Conservation of Heritage Sites
including Heritage Building, Heritage Precincts and Natural Feature Areas.
The development plans/ schemes shall conform to the provisions of the
same.
While preparing any layout plans, these should be suitably incorporated. In
case of major monuments it is necessary that the surrounding area should be
identified in the layout/detail plan, and should have building controls in
relation to height, material and spread of the monuments.

Development in heritage zones: No development or redevelopment or engineering operation or additions /

alterations, repairs, renovations including painting of the building,
replacement of special features or plastering or demolition of any part
thereof of the said listed buildings or listed precincts or listed natural feature
areas shall be allowed except with the prior permission of Commissioner,
Municipal Corporation /Vice Chairman, Development Authority. Before
granting such permission, the agency concerned shall consult the Heritage
Conservation Committee to be appointed by the State Government and shall
act in according with the advice of the Heritage Conservation Committee
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 Before granting any permission for demolition or major alterations /

additions to listed buildings (or buildings within listed streets or precincts),
or construction at any listed natural features, or alteration of boundaries of
any listed natural feature areas, objections and suggestions from the public
shall be invited and shall be considered by the Heritage Conservation
Committee.
Grading of heritage buildings/precints:Listed Heritage Buildings / Listed Heritage Precincts may be graded into three
categories.
Grade-1
Heritage Grade-I comprises buildings and precincts of national or historic
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.
Grade-II
Comprises of buildings and precincts of regional or local importance possessing
special architectural or aesthetic merit, or cultural or historical significance though
of a lower scale than Heritage Grade-I.They are local landmarks. Which contribute
to the image and identity of the region. They may be the work of master craftsmen
or may be models of proportion and ornamentation or designed to suit a particular
climate.
Grade- III:
Comprises building and precincts of importance for townscape; that evoke
architectural, aesthetic, or sociological interest through not as much as in Heritage
Grade-II.
These contribute to determine the character I of the locality and can be
representative of lifestyle of a particular community or region and may also be
distinguished by setting, or special character of the facade and uniformity of
height, width and scale.
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Heritage and Conservation zones in Hyderabad :Hyderabad City contains innumerable archaeological, historical, educational and
recreational places of interest and is a tourists paradise.
The most important of these are described briefly in the succeeding paragraphs.
The archaeological and historical places include,among other things, the Golconda
Fort, Qutb Shahi Tombs, Char Minar, Mecca Masjid and Falaknuma palace.

Heritage zones in Hyderabad

SITES SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED AS HERITAGE SITES

In notified Heritage Buildings and Heritage Precincts, it is necessary to
obtain specific clearance from HMDA, after consultation by Heritage
Conservation Committee before undertaking certain kinds of development
and redevelopment as specified by the Government or issued as specific
guidelines. Special exemption from land use controls are allowed subject to
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approval from the Government in the interest of conservation of the Heritage

Buildings and adaptive uses area allowed with concurrence from the
Heritage Committee subject to mandated public safety requirements.
The Heritage Regulations issued vide GO Ms No. 542, MA dated 14-121995 and other relevant orders/amendments issued by the Government from
time to time shall be applicable

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