66 Years has been added to Delhi’s History, after independence.  During this period a number of buildings too, have been added to Delhi’s rich architectural-heritage. These buildings are important milestones of architectural time line of the post independence era. These buildings embody architectural attempts with purity of form and function while drawing from Indian architecture. It was a time when Indian Architecture was trying to re-invent and was trying to overcome overwhelmingly long period of Mughal and Colonial influence.  Therefore the buildings built in post independence era are equally important landmarks in architectural history of this city as are other landmarks of British and Mughal era.

 
A debate was started when the proposal of demolishing the Chanakya Cinema was mooted by NDMC, but unfortunately that debate fizzled out.  Once again, a battery of such buildings faces a threat of demolition with a move for re-development of Pragati Maidan Complex. It is proposed to create a Convention Centre in its place. This could / would involve demolition of some of the existing buildings in the Pragati Maidan Complex.  The Buildings at Pragati Maidan are iconic structures in Delhi's landscape. The buildings, acknowledged all around the world as icons of modernity have found a place in the annals of architecture and Indian cultural history.
 
Agreed that development and re-development is indeed a constant process, but as today one cannot think of demolishing the Lal Quila no matter what the need be, similarly The Indian Institute of Architects (Northern Chapter) feels that it is time that all stakeholders must acknowledge that some of the buildings, constructed post independence, too, are important architectural heritage of the city, and should be preserved as examples of rich architectural heritage.
 
A session of the Chai Coffee and Architecture on Monday, 6th January 2014, at the New Committee Room, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi at 5:30 PM, has been scheduled to discuss this issue, formulate a joint opinion and form a task force (committee) to handle this issue at various levels within government, till this issue reaches its logical end. 
 
We invite all Architects to be part of this discussion. Please note, non-members of IIA, too, are welcome to these sessions.

Architexturez-IN wrote:

ref: http://mail.architexturez.net/+/MPISG-Media/archive/msg00691.shtml
ref: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rti_india/message/1719
CIC order: http://cic.gov.in/CIC-Orders/Decision_30012008_02.pdf
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"The decisions taken and policy formulated in connection with Chanakya cinema, both for its construction and its demolition, are matters of concern to the public and merit uploading on the website," Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said in his decision.

The CIC passed this order on a Right to Information (RTI) plea of a city-based planner Gita Dewan Verma, who had sought inspection of records on NDMC's decision to construct the cine hall in 1960s, and its present decision to demolish the same.

cont'd....
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/CIC_asks_NDMC_to_open_records_on_demolition_of_Chanakya_hall/articleshow/2752435.cms