UNESCO-Icomos Audit Raises Concerns Over Ahmedabad's Heritage Water Tankas
Ahmedabad: The UNESCO-Icomos reactive monitoring team has concluded its critical audit of Ahmedabad's Walled City, leaving local authorities with pressing questions about the preservation of the city's living heritage. During their final inspections, the experts specifically inquired about the current status of historical underground water tankas—centuries-old infrastructure buried beneath the dense Pol neighborhoods.
Experts Seek Details on Conservation Efforts
According to civic sources, the inspectors actively looked for signs of ongoing conservation work. A senior official from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) stated, "The inspectors looked for signs of active conservation," underscoring the urgency of maintaining these vital structures. This audit comes amid growing recognition of the tankas' potential role in sustainable urban management.
Research Highlights Structural Mismatch and Potential
A seminal research paper published in Springer's 'Built Heritage' journal in March 2026, titled "Tapping into tradition: a multi-method approach for reviving Tankas for climate-resilient water management in Ahmedabad," argues that these structures are essential tools for survival. Authored by Piyush Pandya and Debalina Ghosh of Woxsen University, along with heritage professional Maniti Desai, the study identifies a "structural mismatch" between modern governance and the Walled City's organic fabric.
The researchers reveal that the 535.7-hectare area relies on intermittent piped water, often available for only two hours daily. However, the city sits atop nearly 10,000 tankas, each with an average capacity of 25,000 liters. This latent infrastructure remains marginalized by a "techno-bureaucratic" model that favors external river sourcing, according to experts.
Reviving Tankas for Climate Resilience
The study highlights a compelling solution: while groundwater tables have plummeted below 40 meters, the tankas remain viable because they harvest surface rainwater. These lime-lined chambers, typically 18-25 feet deep, offer "passive purification" by increasing water pH and reducing microbial activity. Pandya and his colleagues argue that "reviving such vernacular systems offers a low-carbon, culturally embedded solution for managing urban resilience."
Proposed Co-Governance Model Faces Challenges
The researchers advocate for a tripartite approach combining state resources with active resident participation. However, the study cites significant "institutional inertia," noting that current Heritage Transferable Development Rights (HTDR) only factor in above-ground features, ignoring these vital subsurface assets. They propose a "co-governance model" where the state incentivizes the 90% of residents who expressed willingness to reintegrate tanka water into the urban system.
This audit and research underscore the critical need to balance heritage preservation with modern urban challenges, positioning Ahmedabad's tankas as a key element in future climate-resilient strategies.
