HC wants higher wall,heritage panel says OK if only fence touched

Expressing doubts about “whether increasing the compound wall could solve the security issue”,the heritage panel nonetheless considered the proposal in view of the police recommendation,before giving its nod.

The committee had earlier rejected drawings submitted by the PWD that proposed raising the existing compound wall itself as well as another plan that recommended constructing an eight-foot-high mild-steel fence outside the existing compound wall. The plans were rejected on grounds that it would disturb the visual continuity of the High Court,university and other similar buildings lining the road outside the Oval Maidan.

“The existing stone wall crowned by a cast-iron fence has a character of its own and increasing the height of the wall without proper thought would spoil its heritage value. We have suggested that the existing grill could be removed and reinstalled after increasing its height,” committee chairman Dinesh Afzalpurkar said. However,PWD officials say it is difficult to raise the height of the fence. “Our earlier design for setting up a parallel mild-steel fence would have meant taking over a portion of the footpath. But the fence would have been similar to the new fences bordering the Oval and Azad maidans and would have blended well with the surroundings,” an official said. After the heritage panel’s take,the PWD is consulting court officials and working on a new design.