21. Urban Heritage and Planning in India: A Study of Banaras

Cultural and natural heritages are increasingly threatened by destruction, not only from natural causes but also as the results of anthropogenic interventions. From India, 32 properties are enlisted in the World Heritage list (2015), but the Ghats of Varanasi have not yet been proposed for inclusion, mostly because of political complexity and the lack of strong movement from the stakeholders. This chapter attempts to critically examine the rationales for proposing Varanasi as a heritage city in the World Heritage list and the problems faced in this process in the past 12 years. In this context, the status of Varanasi on the scale of the UNESCO World Heritage list, the implications of the past and ongoing Master Plans and City Development Plan, the role of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) (Varanasi), governance strategies, and issues of public awareness are critically examined. It is suggested that under the auspices of City Administration a Heritage & Conservation Cell in the Development Authority and Municipal Corporation should be created, and specific by-laws formulated for the development and preservation of heritagescapes with active participation from stakeholders.