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URBAN DESIGN AND REGIONAL PLANNING, INNER CITY
          REVITALIZATION & CONSERVATION




         REVITALIZATION

         OF A HERITAGE PRECINCT



          - by Mahila Housing Trust, Gujarat










                 hmedabad became the first Indian city to be inscribed as UNESCO's 'World Heritage City' in 2017, owing to
                 the rich heritage imbibed in its traditional architecture and urban fabric called 'Pols'. The Pols area's
          Atraditional form of densely packed neighborhoods made of wooden courtyard houses called pol houses and
          havelis, opening on the streets and chowks lined by 'otlas' and enriched by traditional elements such as 'Bird
          Feeders', Wells etc.
          Over time, these pols have been impacted by old decaying infrastructure, deteriorating structures, uneven
          pavements, unorganized public areas etc. This has resulted in diminished quality-of-life, diminished 'community
          pride' and diminishing interest in conservation and maintenance of the beautiful structures and the public areas.

          This project takes up the heritage precinct of Dhal ni Pol as a 'Pilot Project' to improve and revitalize it through a
          participatory design and execution process, closely involving the community and empowering women. Through this,
          it aims to increase awareness and reinstate the community pride and interest in the collective heritage. The project,
          carried out in support of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is expected to become a model for improving
          other pols and heritage precincts throughout the core walled city.





         BACKGROUND                                            paving etc. were identified as impediments tarnishing the
                                                               heritage character. These workshops highlighted a dire
         Dhal ni Pol, is historically significant as it is located on a
                                                               need  to  improve  the  Pol's  public  areas,  its  old
         mound  that  is  considered  the  genesis  point  of
                                                               infrastructure along repair and restoration of houses by
         Ahmedabad, originally populated by Bhil community in
                                                               individual owners. However, with 84% of the households
         the 9th century AD. Dhal ni Pol is spread over an area of
                                                               having a monthly income of less than Rs. 15000/-, the
         6.8 ha, housing over 10,000 no. of residents. As part of the
                                                               members  of  the  community  lacked  the  financial
         initial  stage,  Mahila  Housing  Trust  (MHT)  conducted
                                                               resources.
         many community workshops and surveys that identified
         issues such as old and decaying infrastructure, uneven   ESTABLISHMENT OF PRIORITIES
         road surfaces, inconsistent street lighting, unorganized
                                                               Considering  the  deteriorating  infrastructure,  lack  of
         parking,  restricted  mobility  and  lack  of  fire  safety
                                                               maintenance,  lack  of  awareness,  diminishing  sense  of
         provisions. Apart from this, the visual clutter of signages,
                                                               pride  and  monetary  resources,  priorities  for  project
         hanging cables, telephone and electricity boxes, broken
                                                               implementation were emphasized on the following:

                                                                                                                                Map of Ahmedabad showing AshabhilnoTekro and Dhal ni Pol
                                                          { 78 }                                                                                                                 { 79 }
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