Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) at its meeting held on Friday directed appointment of an Structural Engineer for audit of Zero Mile Stone within a fortnight. The meeting was held at District Collectorate post prodding from High Court and District Collector Ravindra Thakare presided over the same. The pride of city, Zero Mile is currently in a very shabby state and same was highlighted by HCC in its submission to Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. On Thursday, a division bench of Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Anil Kilor prodded all agencies to work in co-ordinated manner and ensure conservation of the heritage structure.

 

The meeting held at Collectorate took stock of the HCC report and deliberated on future course of action. A directive was issued to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to go for structural audit of Zero Milestone and for the same a Structural Engineer should be appointed. This is for the second time that HC had intervened for ensuring protection of Zero Mile structure, the previously it hauled Maha Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) for illegal putting up its huge machines in its vicinity. Now appalled by the fact finding report of HCC, High Court asked authorities to quickly step in and ensure that the heritage structure is restored to its original shape.

 

 

 

The structural audit has become necessary as the stone has developed cracks at many places and there is need to asses it’s strength. The auditor will examine the Zero Mile area, it is the place from where road distance of entire India is measured, and submit the findings to HCC. Once the structural report is available it would be discussed and sanctioned accorded to measures suggested for its restoration and preservation. While carrying out repair works, nod from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) would be taken.

 

Collector during the meeting also took review of the sanctioned plan for conservation of Kasturchand Park and directed authorities to complete the work soon. Today’s meeting was attended among others by Milind Meshram, Deputy Commissioner, NMC, P S Patankar, Structural Engineer; Principal Ujwala Chakradeo, Principal, Smt Manoramabai Mundle College of Architecture; Jaya Wahane, Curator, Central Museum; Dr Tapan Chakraborty, ex-Director, NEERI; Harshal Gedam, Member Secretary, HCC, and Assistant Director, Town Planning, Leena Upadhaye, Superintending Engineer, NIT; V D Sardeshmukh, SE, PWD; Janardhan Bhanuse, Executive Engineer, PWD’s Division No 1; Seema Gajbhiye, Tahsildar; Architect Ashok Mokha; Anil Gadekar, District Inform-ation Officer; and Manish Soni, PRO, NMC.

 

 

 

HCC also authorised meeting expenditure of conservation work of Zero Mile Stone and Kasturchand Park from its own heritage fund. Similarly, members also sought details of the expenditure incurred so far on heritage conservation work carried out in Nagpur city. Officials of NMC and Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) were directed to furnish details of expenses in next 15-days. Also, the members of HCC sought details of land available for preservation, conservation and beautification of Zero Mile Stone at the next meeting.