Pondrik Ji Ki Haveli razed in UNESCO site despite plaints, JMC action comes too late

Jaipur: The historic Pondrik Ji Ki Haveli in the Walled City has been reduced to rubble, raising alarms over the preservation of heritage sites in the UNESCO-listed protected area. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC), which responded to allegations of illegal demolition Wednesday, discovered that the destruction had already culminated by the time its team reached the scene.On March 13, TOI published a news highlighting the demolition activities that were going on at the heritage haveli. A month before, on Feb 13, locals had gathered to halt the illegal demolition. However, by the time JMC officials intervened, parts of the structure lay in ruins, obliterating a piece of Rajasthan's rich history. Seema Chaudhary, deputy commissioner of JMC's Amer Zone, said the civic body is now trying to identify those responsible. "We got a complaint that the haveli was being demolished. We sent a team to the spot to stop the work. We are investigating who are behind this act," Chaudhary said. She said the building had been in a fragile condition and parts of it were already collapsing but indicated that what happened went far beyond repair work. "We sought a report from the Heritage Cell to repair this structure, but in the garb of maintenance, this structure has been demolished. We are probing who is involved in this act," she said. Chaudhary also confirmed that no guard was currently deployed at the site. Adding another twist to this alarming scenario, a mysterious poster appeared outside the Pondrik Ji Ki Haveli nearly two weeks ago, foreshadowing the devastation. The notice ominously claimed that the JMC had ordered its demolition due to dilapidated conditions and threatened legal action against anyone who entered the premises. The identity of those responsible for the poster remains unknown, intensifying the suspicion surrounding the motives behind the demolition. Locals expressed outrage and disbelief that a significant historical site could be so carelessly destroyed while official entities stand by. The demolition has raised questions over enforcement inside Jaipur's Walled City, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Feb 2020. Under heritage protection norms, no construction, alteration or demolition is permitted without due approval. Yet illegal construction and destruction of old structures have continued to surface across the area. The collapse of Pondrik Ji Ki Haveli now stands as another stark example of how a heritage city is losing its historic fabric in plain sight while authorities scramble after the damage is done.