A fresh controversy has erupted in the heart of Jaipur's historic Walled City, where the demolition of a heritage structure to make way for a new building has sparked outrage among local residents. The incident, centered on Chaura Rasta, has led to serious allegations of negligence against the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC).
Residents Allege Systematic Neglect by Authorities
Local citizens claim that the construction project, which began in 2023, has nearly completely demolished a heritage building. They assert that despite repeated complaints, the Jaipur Municipal Corporation failed to take decisive action. Kishore Agarwal, a former JMC revenue officer, voiced the community's frustration, stating that the work would pause briefly after each complaint only to resume shortly after.
"The construction began in 2023. Every time we lodged a complaint, the work got stalled for a day and resumed," Agarwal said. He highlighted that the construction activity gained momentum again in November of this year, following administrative changes and a merger within the JMC. Agarwal filed a formal complaint with JMC Commissioner Gaurav Saini and DC Kishanpole Bijendra Singh on December 9. However, he alleges that no concrete action has been taken since, and no official has formally acknowledged the grievance.
"There has been no action against the accused this time. The heritage building located near the Jain Temple in the Parkota has almost been demolished. New construction has started without maintaining the heritage bylaws," Agarwal alleged.
Owner's Defense and Official Stance
On the other side of the dispute, Ajay Pathak, one of the building's owners, presented a different narrative. Pathak, who runs one of Jaipur's oldest pen shops on the ground floor of the same building since 1971, asserted that the work is a reconstruction, not an illegal new build. He claimed to possess all necessary permissions from concerned departments.
"We are re-constructing the second and third floor of the building with all necessary permission. The new construction is absolutely according to heritage requirements," Pathak stated. He went further, claiming, "In fact, this would be the first building inside the Walled City that would be reconstructed maintaining all heritage norms." His shop is famed for its clientele, which includes former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, high court judges, and other prominent figures of Jaipur.
The JMC's enforcement wing for the Walled City, led by Pushpendra Singh Rathore, confirmed receiving complaints in the past. However, Rathore stated, "We could not take any steps as the owners have all necessary approvals." Attempts to get comments from JMC Commissioner Gaurav Saini and DC Kishanpole Bijendra Singh were unsuccessful.
Broader Concerns for Walled City's Heritage
This incident is not isolated but reflects a larger, worrying trend within the UNESCO-noted Walled City. UNESCO has repeatedly expressed concerns about heritage preservation in the area, issuing multiple warnings to the state government. The scale of unauthorized development was starkly revealed by a recent drone survey, conducted under a high court order, which identified over 250 illegal new constructions within the historic precincts.
Another resident, Amit Swami, encapsulated the public's disillusionment, saying, "This is ridiculous. On one side, JMC officials visit us and lecture on maintaining Walled City's heritage. And then they allow a section of residents and builders to demolish heritage structures and construct new buildings." This sentiment underscores a growing distrust between the citizens tasked with preserving their history and the authorities mandated to enforce its protection.
The situation in Chaura Rasta has thus become a flashpoint, highlighting the ongoing struggle between development pressures and the imperative to safeguard Jaipur's irreplaceable architectural legacy. The lack of clear action from the municipal corporation has left residents questioning the effectiveness of heritage governance in one of India's most iconic historic cities.
