Understanding Heritage Conservation from Project Management Perspectives: Case Study Chandannagar

Abstract

Historic buildings and structures that formerly served as the collective identity of a town are being demolished haphazardly, making way for global architectural icons. It will not be an exaggeration to say that our existence, evolution and collective identity depend on the built structures that we inhabit and artefacts that are seamlessly woven with intangible memories, stories and ethos. Chandannagar, a city located in the Hooghly district sof West Bengal and a former French colony, is renowned for its historical heritage structures, including private and public constructions. Several historical identification and restoration projects have been carried out in Chandannagar during the past few decades. But what have been the impacts of the restorative work on the city and the local community? There is a dearth of scholarship on historical conservation in India from the standpoint of project management. In this article, we have attempted to address the gap by bringing to the fore three heritage projects in Chandannagar—a small town drawing lesser attention in the policy circle and media. As there is emerging research on the Hooghly Corridor, the findings will inform both scholars and practitioners about more comprehensive upscaling heritage initiative projects in specific urban sites—in this particular case—Chandannagar. The research tool used in this article is qualitative; secondary sources have also been consulted to offer an overview of the heritage conservation projects of Chandannagar.