Hyderabad: Planning the Andhra Pradesh capital may receive a big blow, with Indian architects deciding to challenge the utilisation of services of Singapore designers. They say this is in violation of the Architects Act, which prohibits any unregistered foreign architect.

The Naidu government has roped in the Singapore government with a team of designers and architects for designing the capital at Tullur of Guntur district. Noted Chennai-based architect Durganand Balsavar said, “Firms or architects have to be registered with the apex body in the country, the Council of Architecture. Foreign countries with which India has reciprocal registration will be allowed. We do not have one with Singapore. So they are not eligible.”1

....

Hyderabad: Indian architects have challenged the use of foreign architects in the construction of the capital region saying that the Delhi High Court had ruled that the approval granted to the  Foreign Investment Promotion Board to Singapore-based RSP Architects was not in line with the law.

The Council of Architecture had earlier issued a public notice stating. “We have been receiving complaints regarding violations of the Act by companies and individuals who are falsely representing as architects; it is a punishable offence under Sections 36 and 37(1) of the Act. Companies and individuals committing the violations are directed to stop.”2

  • 1. http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150106/nation-current-affairs/article/new-andhra-pradesh-capital-faces-designer-block-indian
  • 2. Source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/150106/nation-current-affairs/article/singapore-not-council-architecture-list