Municipal Building Commission: Fill & Download for Free

INTACH was founded in 1982 with the aim of sensitizing the public about India’s pluralistic cultural legacy, protecting and conserving India’s heritage, documenting cultural resources of India, formulating heritage policy and regulations, train and develop skills and related professions, emergency response to save heritage. INTACH completed its silver jubilee celebrations in 2009.THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR HERITAGE SITES BILL, 2009 has still not been passed. You can find the pdf of the bill here http://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/1237548287/1237548287_National_Heritage_Bill_2009.pdf. Also, I found another useful document here, http://www.urbanindia.nic.in/publicinfo/byelaws/Chap-8.pdfParticularly in West Bengal, previously there were some provisions for preservation and conservation heritage in the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979. Later in 1997 an expert Committee was set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. Barun De suggested for framing of comprehensive statutory provision by making necessary amendments in the West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979 and also to set up West Bengal Heritage Commission in order to supervise the modification, enlistment and maintenance of all Heritage Buildings, Monuments, Precincts and sites within the purview of entire State of West Bengal. Accordingly the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act, 2001 was enacted. Also, as per provisions of Section 23C of the West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993 the Municipality shall constitute a Heritage Conservation Committee with the members stipulated in sub-section (2) of the said section. The matter regarding conservation of the municipal building or any other building or site, considered as heritage building or site, has to be examined by the said Committee, and thereafter the said Committee shall send its recommendation regarding preservation and conservation of such heritage buildings to the West Bengal Heritage Commission, constituted under the West Bengal Heritage Commission Act, 2001, for taking final decision in the matter.There is a list of Heritage Buildings prepared by KMC (Kolkata Municipal Corporation) which can be found here https://www.kmcgov.in/KMCPortal/downloads/Graded_List_of_Heritage_Buildings_Grade_I_IIA_IIB.pdfMetcalfe Hall, St. John Church,Currency Building, Old Building of the Asiatic Society, Maghen David Synagogue, Beth-el-Synagogue in Kolkata are under the protection of ASI.A few legislations related to preservation of cultural heritage of India are mentioned in the ASI website. Archaeological Survey of India

Yes, especially if you want to practice in a small town. You might get to help design municipal buildings on a smaller scale or public monuments. You would be more likely to get small town commissions, if you had this experience. Most Americans live in small towns!

Absolutely NOTThe Decision is a Half Baked and Foolish Decision which will have worse consequences.Why do i say so?The Reason is simple. I will illustrate something called the Road Layers Guide to 10 Kms of RoadA Contractor is asked to lay out 10 Kms of Road using High Grade materials and tenders are invited. If like in Singapore or China - the Contractor really uses High Grade Materials - it would cost him Rs. 72 Lakhs and he makes a 30% profit in the best case and 20% profit in the worst case with delays etc.In Singapore or China - he would Tender for amounts ranging from Rs. 70,25,000/- to Rs. 72,25,000/- and would make a good road and make good profits.So Contractor would decide to build the road for Rs. 60 Lakhs and take a profit of Rs. 12 LakhsIn India - Step 1 is to get the Tender and the problem is the lowest tender wins. In other countries - L1,L2 and L3 are chosen based on other things, in India it is the price.So the Contractor is told to bid for Rs. 68 Lakhs to ensure he gets the Tender and also pay a sum of Rs. 3 Lakhs as Commission for ensuring he gets the Tender.That means Rs. 65 Lakh. This means to ensure his profit - he has to build the road for Rs. 53 Lakhs (Instead of Rs. 60 Lakhs)So Contractor decides to compromise on the quality of materials and decides to use second grade material to ensure his profit. Quality starts coming downStep 2 is the disbursal of payments. Every payment comes through a channel - and with each payment - a commission has to be paid to EVERYONE. Without the commissions - payments can be delayed upto 2 years and lost, staff would refuse to do anything at the Municipal offices. The officers would not put up payment requests, would not authorize new requests, clerks will simply “FILE IT” and forget about it for 2 years.An Average of 25% in commissions is needed for paying all and ensuring that the payment reaches the Contractor.This means our Contractor who thought of spending Rs. 65 lakhs now has to pay around Rs. 15 Lakhs in Commissions which means he has only Rs. 50 Lakhs left.This means he has to build the road for Rs. 38 Lakhs to ensure his profit.Step 3 are the Inspectors.The Inspectors (Most of them) will find flaws with the finest roads built and will certify the worst roads built - as long as their “Gift” remains in question.This happens 3 -4 times and unless Inspector gives a clearance - no actual work happens and no payment is made.This means 3 inspections and each time a gift of Rs. 3 lakhs to the Inspector and his minions to ensure a smooth and flawless reportThis means Rs. 9 Lakhs downThis means the Contractor has only Rs. 41 Lakhs to build the road and even if he reduces his profit margin from 12 lakhs to 8 lakhs (Which is the bare minimum he can do- since he too has bills to pay) - the road budget reduces to Rs. 33 LakhsStep 4 are the Political Lackeys.The Actual Politicians wont take anything for such small contracts but their lackeys have to eat and politicians give them license to extort money from all such projects.The Panchayat Board Lackeys, the MLAs Lackeys, The MP Lackeys will all make demands. Either money or a Home Theater Set or a Diesel Generator or Jewelry or a Bike for their sons or pay off the fees of a daughter etc.This will cost at least Rs. 10 lakhsNow the Road budget Reduces to Rs. 31 LakhsSo assuming Rs. 8 Lakhs final profit - this means Rs. 23 Lakhs left for building the Road.So there we have it - Rs. 60 Lakhs with Grade A Materials originally planned with a 12 Lakh profit for the Contractor - Both making decent profitsAnd finally we see - Rs. 23 Lakhs for building a road (1/3 the Budget) and only 8 Lakhs profit for the Contractor - the road will obviously be the worst in quality and the Contractor will barely make ends meet.This is an Honest contractor (who are only 10% ), a Dishonest contractor will take a profit of Rs. 15 Lakhs and ensure the Road is built only for Rs. 15 Lakhs or 1/4th the BudgetAnd the Solution of these geniuses is to punish only the Contractor?????Here are the guilty Parties:-(a) The Tendering Company Officials(b) The Municipality Officials(c) The Inspectors(d) The Political LackeysThey get off scot free is it?????And i have only given example of a small road contract, imagine how many more are involved in a 30000 Crore rupee contract??????EITHER CHANGE THE SYSTEM OR KEEP QUIET. IF YOU PUNISH THE CONTRACTORS - THEN THEY WILL DO WHAT BANKERS ARE DOING - SIMPLY STOP WORKING AND THE NATION WILL BE IN MORE JEOPARDY.IT IS A BAD DECISION. ABSOLUTELY BAD AND WITHOUT FORETHOUGHT.