'Preserve marvels of city architecture'

CHANDIGARH: On his visit to the city, senior architect and director of the university, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Galan met the first Indian chief architect of the city, M N Sharma to discuss the present heritage status and future of the city. Both of them suggested that instead of going in for high-investment Tricity mode of metro rail project, UT should develop V-7 and V-8 roads for cycles and pedestrians to keep ecological balance.
Along with at least eight Spanish architects, Galan moved around the city and visited Capitol Complex to watch beautiful monuments, including Open Hand and Well of Consideration, which he thought were great pieces of architectural marvel by master architect, Le Corbusier.Galan expressed concern over fast-disappearing heritage items of both Corbusier and his cousin, Pierre Jeanneret, from the city to be sold in international auction houses for millions. ''The local authorities must own accountability for all these lapses and loss of heritage stock of national value,'' insisted Galan.
Galan discussed Chandigarh's future in detail and expressed serious concern on hearing that the city's peripheral and inner concepts are being changed rapidly to adjust the overgrowing populace. ''That has sadly been missing now and all those who have calling the shots have no accountability,'' said Sharma.
According to Sharma, ''City has not only been encroached in it's periphery but is also suffering transportation problem. Merely the interest generated from the funds proposed for investment in Metro will be sufficient to provide free surface transportation to all residents of the city.''
Madrid-based architect university director emphasized the need of developing V7 and V8 roads for cycles and pedestrians, to keep ecological balance. He said, ''Vision of le Corbusier for the city which was initially planned for 500,000 people had doubled. But yet green avenues and living conditions continue to be memorable in people's minds.'' Galan was all praise for Le Corbusier and his team for creating a modern city in the 1950s, which went onto become a role-model to plan many other Indian and foreign city later. ''We must take care of the rich heritage of the city and preserve its rare and unmatched architectural building marvels at any cost,'' he added.