Case Study - Nizamuddin Urban

Renewal

Likith, , Nikitha, Nisha, Renuka, Vidya , Yogesh and Zair

CONTENT
● INTRODUCTION
About Nizamuddin urban renewal initiative
● Heritage conservation
● Cultural revival
● Environment development
● Urban development
● Health programme
● Waste and sanitation
● Early childhood care and development
● Education programme
● Creating livelihoods

● NMA HERITAGE BYE-LAWS

Chapter one - Definitions.
Chapter two - Background of the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological sites and remains.
Chapter three - Location and Setting of Centrally Protected
Monuments Nizamuddin Basti group of monuments.
Chapter four - Existing zoning, if any, in the local area
development plans.
Chapter five - Survey of the Prohibited and the Regulated Areas
on the basis of boundaries.
Chapter six - Architectural, historical and archaeological value of
the monuments.
Chapter seven - Site Specific Recommendations.

● NIZAMUDDIN BASTI GROUP OF MONUMENT

● HUMAYUN’S TOMB

● SUNDER NURSERY - BATASHE WALA GROUP OF

MONUMENTS

● CULTURE AS A TOOL FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT

MAP SHOWING THE NIZAMUDDIN COMPLEX
INTRODUCTION

The Humayun’s Tomb-Sunder Nursery - Nizamuddin Basti is one of the

densest ensembles of medieval Islamic buildings in India, inhabited by a
vibrant local community with 700 years of living culture. The area is being
visited by millions of tourists and pilgrims each year.

The Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative has worked towards

● adopting a craft based approach towards conservation,

● employing hundreds of craftsmen using traditional tools, materials

and building techniques to revive the intention of the original builders.

● It has coupled conservation with socio-economic initiatives aimed at

improving the quality of life for resident communities through action
towards health, sanitation, vocational training facilities.

● Furthermore,it has aimed at upgrading available public infrastructure,

landscaping open parks, major street improvement, housing
improvement, building community toilets coupled with heritage and
environmental awareness programmes.

The project thus serves as a model for Culture based development of

India’s historic city centers

Heritage Cultural Environment Urban Health

conservation revival development development programme

Waste and Early childhood

Education Creating
care and
sanitation programme livelihoods
development
HERITAGE CONSERVATION
India has a rich and diverse heritage, which can be leveraged for economic gain through
tourism as well as opportunities for local craftsman and artisans. Even those monuments
which are considered to be of national/state importance remain under threat from neglect,
vandalism and urban pressures. This state of preservation is a result of the inability of those
entrusted with these responsibilities.
What could be done:
● Make the monument/visit to archaeological site interesting to the visitor.
● Keep the cultural and intangible elements intact—music, food, ritual, dress,
personalities, sport, festivals—associated with the sites be explained to the visitor.
● Conduct Cultural events that would usually attract large numbers should be
organized at less visited monuments.
● Heritage buildings usually utilise local material, the art working with them found in
local communities, this creates employment and economic opportunities for the local
artisans.
● conservation works need to be coupled with urban improvements, improved
transport infrastructure, providing economic opportunities, and improving health,
education and sanitation infrastructure. Only then will heritage assets be valued by
those living around them.
If we are to pass on our built heritage to future generations in a better condition than we
inherited it, liberalization of the cultural sector needs to be brought in and responsibility
entrusted to private entities, universities, non-profits, even resident welfare associations.

CRAFTSMANSHIP :
The process :

Restoring mughal Working with lime Stone Traditional Gilders

tiles craftsmanship masonry

Coppersmiths Working with wood Skilled labour and

Bhandanis

The people involved:

Conservation architects | engineers | Students | Historians | Basti youth | Structural
engineer | Landscape architects | Universities | Scientists

CREATING LIVELIHOODS- Sair-e-nizamuddin :

Generating awareness on the tangible and intangible heritage of the Humayun’s Tomb –
Nizamuddin Basti area amongst people especially the school children by establishing a
regular, self sustainable heritage awareness programme by the youth from the Basti.
Sair E Nizamuddin is a Self Help Group of comprising of Basti youth which was formed in
2010 to provide employment to the young boys from Nizamuddin and also promote
heritage appreciation.
They conduct heritage walks for children and visitors.
The main characteristics of the walks by the volunteers is to put emphasis on anecdotes,
description of social life, tradition and customs while giving equal importance to written
history.

Food walk Iftaar walk World Heritage Pigeon walk Walks for Hazrat Nizamuddin
Auliya Dargah
Day walk schools complex
CULTURAL REVIVAL

The Nizamuddin Basti is one of Delhi’s oldest inhabited areas which evolved
around the dargah of the 14th century.
This cultural heritage comprises not only the built heritage but also a living
culture represented by the traditions at the Dargah, the famed cuisine, music
and handicraft traditions. The inappropriate developments over the last three
decades have reduced the perception discouraging visitors and encouraging
crime.

GOAL:

The objective of the cultural revival programme is to develop it into the historic
and cultural center of Delhi by sensitively exploiting the rich cultural assets of
the Basti.
The Cultural Revival programme has also focused on documenting, interpreting
and disseminating the legacy of its various cultural icons.

PROGRAMMES:

Aalam E Khusrau - worked on the documentation & dissemination of the

multifarious contributions through archiving, research, public performances,
discussions and seminars, audio visual exhibitions, publications and fellowship
and scholarship programme.

Celebrating Rahim - is aimed at disseminating Rahim’s literary works, including

his dohe, and enhancing the understanding of both Rahim and culture of the
early Mughal era.

Heritage Awareness Program - Generating awareness amongst school children

and residents of Delhi has been a key project component along with heritage
walks.

Promoting nizamuddin's culture - These initiatives will spark the

socio-economic development of the residents and provide sustainability for the
physical upkeep and uplifting of the traditional substance of the basti.

HOW THEY WORK?

To achieve the objective of urban renewal, AKTC has negotiated partnerships

between diverse stakeholders, including artists, residents, the local
administration, and government agencies in charge of conservation.
To accomplish the projects innumerable meetings with scholars and
artists,musicians, writers and poets.

They work with schools, historians, women livelihoods, musicians, cultural

institutions, community, urban planners, basti youth, folk artists, universities and
corporates.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT

About sundar Nursery

Sundar Nursery, earlier known as Azim Bagh in Mughal times, was established
in the 20th century to propagate plants for the New Delhi. The area was
prepared in 2008 to strengthen nursery functions and blend it’s heritage,
landscape and ecological assets into a veritable combination of cultural
offerings.

GOAL:

One of the key components of Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative is

environment development and restoring the historic urban landscapes.
The landscape master plan aims to create a major landscape space of truly
urban scale, deriving inspiration from the traditional Indian concept of
congruence between nature, garden and utility coupled with environmental
conservation.

The masterplan has three components: Developing healthier and better

nurseries; developing formal and sensitive landscapes and developing
Biodiversity Zones.

PROJECT COMPONENTS

Nursery development.
Nursery landscape.
Biodiversity and ecology
Heritage conservation
Post project sustainability.

HOW THEY WORK?

The experience of the Agha Khan Trust for culture in creating large parks has
been instrumental in planning for sunder nursery and working towards its
future management and self sustainability.

As a part of AKTC’s worldwide development strategy, market research studies

were carried out to evaluate the feasibility of post project management and
maintenance of sunder nursery and project its potential increase in revenue
generation to ensure financial sustainability of the redevelopment project.

They have worked with school children, musicians, environmentalists,

government, historians, horticulturists, citizens of delhi, GIS specialists and
maalis/gardeners.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Development is sustainable only if the beneficiaries become, in a gradual manner, the

masters of the process. This means that initiatives cannot be contemplated exclusively
in terms of economics, but rather as an integrated programme that encompasses
social and cultural dimensions as well. Education and skills training, health and public
services, conservation of cultural heritage, infrastructure development, urban
planning and rehabilitation, rural development, water and energy management,
environmental control, and even policy and legislative development are among the
various aspects that must be taken into account.

CHALLENGES :
A socio-economic survey was conducted in 2008 on the quality of life in the basti-
Women and child health were areas of concern- Healthcare interventions needed to
look at the up-gradation of the medical and clinical facilities available in the Basti.- The
existing civic infrastructure was highly inadequate- toilets and water facilities are
shared- open spaces were under utilised and poorly developed
The project prioritised : the building of community toilet complex; re-laying and
up-gradation of existing drainage and sewer lines; waste management for better
disposal of garbage and waste; to improve and upgrade open spaces and parks.

THE KEY URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS UNDERTAKE ARE:

Parks and Indraprastha Grass-root Heritage Developing Nizamuddin

community archaeologic governance bye-laws areas around heritage
spaces al park monuments zone

URBAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS:

Identify the Stakeholder Mapping Working with Design implementat

place engagement government interventions ions

Community led Awareness and advocacy Sharing good practices with

management of urban the city of delhi
services

WHO THEY WORK WITH:

Children | Women | Musicians | Environmentalists | government | Citizens of
delhi | GIS specialists | Urban planners | Doctors | Educationalists | Community
members
HEALTH PROGRAMME

The nizamuddin urban renewal initiative :

● Coupled conservation with socio-economic initiatives
● Improving quality of life
● Providing education, health, sanitation, vocational training facilities

The health programme was initiated with three desired outcomes - strengthen the
health services available at the SDMC polyclinic; improve health seeking behaviour
and improve health practices with a focus on maternal and child health.
The strategy chosen was twofold – strengthen the delivery system while developing
community health worker led mechanism to increase demand and improved
monitoring.

Upgrading available public infrastructure, landscaping, streets, housing

improvement
Community, coupled with heritage and environmental awareness programmes to
help meet the objectives.
HEALTH
PROGRAMME

Link community and

Strengthening public Behavior change in Improving urban Integrating
public health
health services community infrastructure community activities
services

WASTE AND SANITATION

BARAH NALLAH DEVELOPMENT (desilting and landscape development):

Work in the Barapullah Nallah has four components – engineering, landscaping,
sanitation and engagement with the community.
Working with community | infrastructure improvement | Working with government

DOOR-TO-DOOR WASTE MANAGEMENT:

Collection | segregation | transportation | storage

Working with the Commercial waste Intervention during Community participation

government management festivals

CREATING COMMUNITY TOILETS

Community participation Design approach Constructing the toilet MoU for management
complex and maintenance

● PROJECTS PRINCIPLE FOCUS:

Leveraging the cultural assets for the communities benefits.
● Addresses communities needs in health, education, livelihoods, urban services
and cultural revival.
● Integrated Work With Local Communities
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT

The early childhood care and development programme aims to address the
educational and development needs of children under 6 years. Children enrolled in
the anganwadis, children in the Nursery section of the SDMC school and the
children in the demonstration centre are part of the programme.

Nizamuddin Basti has seven government anganwadis run by the Department of

Women and Child Development, Government of Delhi. These are part of the
Government of India’s Integrated Child Development Scheme. In addition, there is
the Nursery section of the SDMC School.

Early childhood lays critical foundations for a person’s entire life – a finding
demonstrated not only by the latest advanced research in neuroscience and
genetics but by nutrition and child development studies and programme
evaluation data, including data from AKDN’s own programmes. Investments in
Early Childhood Development (ECD) offer outstanding returns – both in human
and financial terms

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES :
We work in the three major areas identified in the baseline study All these
programmes are targeted at all children under 6 years..

Early stimulation of Addressing

School Readiness
Infants Malnourishment

PHILOSOPHY:
● Strengthening aanganwadis
● Raising awareness
● Community based monitoring
● Multi -disciplinary Team

PARTNERSHIP:
A People-Public Partnership with the Department of Women and Child
Development.
The work in the aanganwadi centres is possible through a MoU with the Department
of Women and Child Development that enables the project to strengthen the
functioning of the aanganwadis .

GOALS:
● Growth monitoring of 90% of children under 6 years.
● Reaching out to 1950 children in the Basti.
● Creating child-friendly safe spaces and play areas in the Basti.
● 7000 preschool classes held.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

School Improvement :

When children are denied access to a good quality education, they are often also
being denied the opportunity to become fulfilled citizens. The link between
educational standards and subsequent earning capacity is clear and well known,
but the damage is not only to individuals.

● Classroom Processes
● Curriculum Enrichment
● School Management
● Community Engagement

English Access Microscholarship Programme :

In Delhi, the medium of instruction tends to be English in private schools and Hindi/Urdu
in government schools. However, even after many years of its compulsory study, vast
numbers of students completing high school are unable to speak, read or write simple
English.

● Access English Microscholarship Programme

Madarsa Education Programme :

The Madarsa education programme was initiated with the objective of improving the
quality of education in the several madrasas functioning within the Basti

The project has initiated a programme to enhance the quality of education offered in the
madrasas by providing a teacher for Hindi, English, Mathematics and computer education.

After School Programmes :

A high dropout rate at school level was identified as a key issue in the Sachhar Committee
Report. It has also been seen that children tend to drop out of school if they are unable to
cope with school subjects. This becomes even more difficult when the children are first
generation learners as they tend to be in Nizamuddin.

● Academic Support to Middle School Students

● Academic Support to Senior School Students
● Academic Support to young Children / Bridge Programmes

Computer Classes in SDMC School

A computer lab in the school was setup in 2008 with computers and a dedicated computer
teacher, increasing children’s familiarity with computers. Computer skills are now
considered a basic skill. The need to understand and use computers is still growing.

● Computers in Schools
● Computers in Career Development Center
● Computers on the streets
CREATING LIVELIHOODS

Insha-E-Noor - Threads of Empowerment :

● The main objective of Insha Crafts Center is to not only hone the skill sets of
these women and give them a source of livelihood but also help them grow as
empowered, confident and independent individuals.

● Insha-e-Noor aims to provide enhanced and dignified livelihood opportunities

to the women involved through craft based skills. Their own money earned by
using their own skills is a step towards greater control on their own lives.

Zaika-e-Nizamuddin :

● Zaika-e-Nizamuddin is a women’s enterprise from Basti Hazrat Nizamuddin

preparing and selling the famous Mughlai cuisine and healthy homemade
snacks.

● Zaika-e-Nizamuddin, as the name suggests, is the ‘zaika’ or flavour of

Nizamuddin which has been carried forward generations after generations in
this 700 year old living heritage.

Sair-e-Nizamuddin :

● Generating awareness on the tangible and intangible heritage of the

Humayun’s Tomb – Nizamuddin Basti area amongst people especially the
school children by establishing a regular, self sustainable heritage awareness
programme by the youth from the Basti.

● Sair E Nizamuddin is a Self Help Group of comprising of Basti youth which was
formed in 2010 to provide employment to the young boys from Nizamuddin
and also promote heritage appreciation.

Career Development Courses

● To address high unemployment rates in the Basti, the vocational education

programme was set up which provides training opportunities linked to jobs,
teaching a craft skill, and resulting in direct increase in family incomes.

● Vocational Education and training is focused on Livelihood Generation for basti

youth and women.

● A career development centre was set up that offers various courses time to
time that prepare youth for the retail sector and other computer related
professions, who have completed their schooling.
 Heritage Bye-Laws
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY

● Definitions of Ancient monument, Archaeological site and remains, Act,

Archaeological officer, Authority, Competent Authority, Construction, Floor
Area Ratio (FAR), Government, Maintain, Owner, Preservation, Prohibited
area, Protected area, Protected monument, Regulated area, Re-construction
and Repair and Renovation.

CHAPTER II
BACKGROUND OF THE ANCIENT MONUMENTS AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL
SITES AND REMAINS

● Background of the Act - The Heritage Bye-Laws are intended to guide

physical, social and economic interventions within 300m in all directions of the
Centrally Protected Monuments.
● Prohibited Area and Regulated Area.
● Provision of the Act related to Heritage Bye-laws.
● Rights and Responsibilities of Applicant.

CHAPTER III
LOCATION AND SETTING OF CENTRALLY PROTECTED MONUMENTS

● Location and Setting of the Monuments - Most of the monuments in the

Nizamuddin Basti owe their location to the Dargah (shrine) of Hazrat
Nizamuddin Auliya including the Humayun’s Tomb itself.

● Located in the heart of New Delhi, in the setting of Humayun's Tomb world
Heritage Site and dotted with over a hundred monuments, this area may be
the densest ensemble of medieval Islamic buildings in India.

● They have Protected boundary of the Monuments.

● Notification Map/ Plan as per ASI records are recorded.
● History and Description of Monuments are also provided
● CURRENT STATUS
Condition of the Monuments- condition assessment
● Daily footfalls and occasional gathering numbers
 CHAPTER IV
EXISTING ZONING, IF ANY, IN THE LOCAL AREA DEVELOPMENT PLANS

CHAPTER V
SURVEY OF THE PROHIBITED AND THE REGULATED AREAS ON THE BASIS
OF BOUNDARIES.

● Contour Plan of Nizamuddin Basti group of monuments.

● Analysis of surveyed data

● Prohibited Area and Regulated Area details.

● Description of built up area
● Description of green/open spaces
● Area covered under circulation- roads, footpaths etc.
● Heights of buildings (Zone wise)
● State protected monuments and listed Heritage Buildings by local
Authorities, if available, within the Prohibited/Regulated Area.
● Public amenities
● Access to monuments
● Infrastructure services (water supply, storm water drainage, sewage, solid
waste management, parking etc.)
● Proposed zoning of the area as per guidelines of the Local Bodies.

CHAPTER VI
ARCHITECTURAL, HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL VALUE OF THE
MONUMENTS

● Architectural, historical and archaeological value

● Sensitivity of the monuments (e.g. developmental pressure,
urbanization, population Pressure, etc.)
● Visibility from the Protected Monuments or Area and visibility from
Regulated Area
● Land-use to be identified
● Archaeological heritage remains other than protected monuments
● Cultural landscapes
● Significant natural landscapes that form part of cultural landscape and
also help in protecting monuments from environmental pollution
● Usage of open space and constructions
● Traditional, historical and cultural activities
● Skyline as visible from the monuments and from Regulated Areas
● Vernacular Architecture
● Developmental plan, as available, by the local authorities
● Building related parameters
Height of the construction on the site (inclusive all)
Floor area
Usage
Roof design
Building material
Colour
Visitor facilities and amenities

CHAPTER VI
SITE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

● Local Governance and Heritage Management

● Other Site Specific Recommendations
Setbacks
Signages
Compound walls
Shop extensions, Street vendors and kiosks
Parking
Services
NIZAMUDDIN BASTI GROUP OF MONUMENT

The project thus serves as a model for Culture based development of

India’s historic city centers.

● A landmark Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) project in New Delhi,

India, the Urban Renewal Initiative is making enormous strides in revitalizing
and unifying the three historical sites of Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin Basti
and Sunder Nursery .

● The non-profit partnership includes the Archaeological Survey of India, the

Central Public Works Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD),
the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

● A settlement developed at this location during the saint’s lifetime and it has
been continuously inhabited

● A series of multi-input projects that aims to improve the urban environment,

conserve monuments, develop public parks, strengthen basic service
education through interventions in the three core areas of health, and
environmental sanitation.

● The conservation of monuments and the rehabilitation of open spaces in the

Basti aim to restore their intrinsic cultural, historical and spiritual
significance. Using state-of-the-art technology, including ground-penetrating
radar survey, high-definition 3D laser scanning and geotechnical assessments

● At the eastern edge of the Basti stand two important tombs: the Chaunsath
Khamba, a Mughal tomb, and the tomb of Mirza Ghalib, South Asia’s most
renowned poet. Together, they form one of the largest open spaces in the
Basti provided with needed community gathering spaces in this dense
setting.

The project features three main components:

● Heritage Conservation: Nizamuddin Basti, the conservation of monuments

and the rehabilitation of open spaces iaim to restore its intrinsic cultural,
historical and spiritual significance. To date, 5 public open spaces and two
significant monuments have been restored.

● Socioeconomic Initiatives:The project combines conservation with a major

socioeconomic development effort that is implemented through a
community-centred, collaborative approach.

● Environmental Development: The landscape master plan aims to create a

major landscape space of truly urban scale, deriving inspiration from the
traditional Indian concept of congruence between nature, garden and utility
coupled with environmental conservation.
NIZAMUDDIN BASTI GROUP OF MONUMENT

Name: Baoli Nizamuddin

Location: Nizamuddin Village, north of Dargah
Period: 1321-22 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 24th June 1925
Current status: Conservation work were carried out by
AKTC in partnership with ASI.

Name: Chausath Khamba

Location:Nizamuddin village
Period: 1623-24 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 21st July 1916
Current status: 25 marble domes were dismantled and
replaced..

Name: Ghalib ki Mazaar

Location: Nizamuddin village
Period: Late Mugha 1869 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 28th September 2005
Current status: The open space around the tomb has
been repaved and the enclosure wall has been built.

Name: Barakhamba tomb

Location:North end of Nizamuddin village
Period: 16th Century
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 21st July 1916
Current status: The Tomb has undergone conservation
and is in a good condition.

Name: Atgah Khan’s Tomb

Location: East of Dargah Complex, Nizamuddin
Period: 1566-67 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 10th December 1925
Current status: Conservation works presently ongoing
on the tomb are thus limited to the principal structure
NIZAMUDDIN BASTI GROUP OF MONUMENT

Name: Grave of Jahanara Begum

Location: Dargah Comlex, Nizamuddin
Period: 17th Century
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 21st July 1916
Current status: Original flooring of the tomb of
Nizamuddin Auliya has been replaced.

Name: Grave of Mirza Jahangir

Location: Dargah Comlex, Nizamuddin
Period: 1832 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 21st July 1916
Current status: marble elements have been damaged
and replaced by the Archaeological Survey of India

Name: Grave of Mohd. Shah

Location: Dargah Comlex, Nizamuddin
Period: Late Mughal 1748 AD
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 29th July 1916
Current status: intricately carved marble screens, the
structures are fragile and over the years replaced by ASI.

Name: Tomb of Amir Khusrau

Location: Dargah Comlex,
Period: 1325CE- Re built 1605 CE
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 24th June 1925
Current status: marble elements have been damaged
and replaced by the Archaeological Survey of India

Name: Tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya (Dargah)

Location:Dargah Comlex, Nizamuddin
Period: 1324-25CE (Building) , 1823 -24CE(Dome Rebuilt)
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of notification: 24th June 1925
Current status: The Tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya has an
intricate wooden canopy with a mother of pearl inlay and
this is showing signs of serious deterioration.
HUMAYUN’S TOMB

The tomb of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, one of the twenty-seven
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, was the first of the monumental
mausoleums to be built in the country. The chahar-bagh, or four-part paradise
garden, is the earliest existing example of the Mughal garden tomb. The Tomb
and Garden are considered one of the precursors of the Taj Mahal.

The objective of the project was to revitalize the gardens, pathways, fountains
and water channels of the char bagh surrounding Humayun’s Tomb according to
the original plans of the builders.

The Garden is laid out in a classical chahar-bagh pattern. It is divided Into

quarters by raised causeways. The quadrants are divided, in turn, into eight plots,
each with walkways. At the intersection of these walkways are octagonal or
rectangular pools. Humayun’s Tomb complex and its surrounding areas cover
almost twenty-four hectares of land and include several significant monuments,
such as Isa Khan’s Tomb enclosure, Afsarwala Tomb and Mosque, the Arab Serai,
Bu Halima’s Tomb and several monumental gateways.

While Humayun’s Tomb was being built, just outside the western enclosure wall,
two significant buildings – a tomb and a three bay wide mosque – known as
Afsarwala Tomb and Mosque were also being constructed. It is unknown who
commissioned these or if they stood in an independent enclosure.

SUNDER NURSERY - BATASHEWALA GROUP OF

MONUMENTS
It was in the early 20th century, during the building of the capitol complex of
New Delhi, that Sunder Nursery was established north of Humayun’s Tomb – to
propagate saplings for New Delhi’s avenues and experiment with plants brought
from other parts of the British empire.

Background

This new city park is designed along a central axial spine around which gardens
and landscapes are arranged. Water features, ponds and lakes are part of the
master-plan. The masterplan aimed at achieving a truly urban scale, deriving
inspiration from the traditional Indian concept of congruence between nature,
garden and utility coupled with environmental conservation. The grand central
vista, over 500 m long, follows the path of the 16th century Grand Trunk Road and
connects the entrance zone of the Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site with the
16th century Azimganj Serai in the north. Forming the heart of the city park, it is
here that visitors are expected to congregate. The lake at the northern edge of
the central vista will be a refuge for Delhi’s citizens with walks, seating and
pavilions along the edges.
HUMAYUN’S TOMB

Name: Humayun’s Tomb

Location: Humayun’s Tomb Complex
Period: Mughal (1565-1566)
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 27th May, 1913
Current status: The Tomb has undergone conservation
and is in a good condition.

Name: Isa Khan’s Tomb

Location: Humayun’s Tomb Complex
Period: Mughal (1547-1578)
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 24th May 2013
Current status: Well Maintained and Open to tourists

Name: Bagh-e-Bu Halima

Location: Near Arab Sarai Village
Period: Early Mughal
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 14th March, 1914
Current status: Restoration has been scheduled and will
be completed before 2022.

Name: Afsar Wala Tomb

Location: Near and South of the Afsarwala ki Masjid
Period: Mughal, 1566
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 24th May, 1913
Current status: Wall Restoration has been carried out.

Name: Afsar Wala Mosque

Location: Within the eastern enclosure of Arab Sarai
Period: Mughal, 1566-1567
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 24th May, 1913
Current status: Restoration works are Complete.
HUMAYUN’S TOMB

Name: Sabz Burj

Location: East of Nizamuddin roundabout
Period: Early Mughal
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 3rd June, 1916
Current status: The Tomb has been restored.

Name: Khan-e-Khana’s Tomb

Location: Nizamuddin East
Period: Mughal (1626-1627)
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 20th March, 1916
Current status: Immediate Attention needed, tomb is in
a poor Condition.

Name: Arab Sarai at Indrapat

Location: Pattia, south of Humayun’s Tomb
Period: Mughal (1560-1561)
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: -
Current status: It is in a good Condition.

Name: Nila Gumbad

Location: East of Humayun’s tomb Complex
Period: Mughal, 1624-1625
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 24th May, 1913
Current status: Maintenance done recently.

Name: Gateways of Arab Sarai facing East towards the

Tomb of Humayun’s
Location: South of Humayun’s tomb Complex
Period: Mughal, 1560-1561
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 8th July, 1913
Current status: Painting repaired and
HUMAYUN’S TOMB

Name: Gate of Arab Sarai facing North towards Purana

Qila
Location: Humayun’s Tomb Complex near Arab Sarai
Village
Period: Mughal, 1560-1561
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 8th March, 1913
Current status: The Tomb has been restored.

SUNDER NURSERY - BATASHE WALA GROUP OF MONUMENTS

Name: Sunderwala Mahal

Location: North East of Sunderwala Burj, Sunder Nursery
Period: Early Mughal
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 1th Dec, 1927
Current status: Listed for Regular Maintenance

Name: Sunder wala Burj

Location: North East of Humayun’s tomb, Sunder
Nursery
Period: Early Mughal
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 24th May, 1913
Current status: Listed for Regular Maintenance

Name: Lakkadwala Burj

Location: Sunder Nusery
Period: Early Mughal
Owner: Public, ASI
Date of Notification: 14th Dec, 1927
Current status: Listed for Regular Maintenance
CULTURE AS A TOOL FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT

● The monuments that stand within the World Heritage Site and its setting
were in a poor state of preservation. The open space comprising of Sundar
Nursery and neighbourhood parks were in a state of neglect and the historic
neighbourhood of Nizamuddin was counted amongst many of the ‘slums’ of
Delhi that had outgrown available resources; its living culture and historic
past struggling for space, sanitation and opportunity.

● To address the needs of a distinctive urban area, the Nizamuddin Urban

Renewal Initiative commenced with the triple objectives of conservation of
built urban heritage, environmental development of water features and
open spaces and improving the quality of life for the resident communities –
whose most significant asset remained their built and living cultural
heritage.

● Since 2007, a multi-disciplinary team has worked with local communities to

fulfil these objectives. Work is underway on the development of a 90 acre
city park, conservation of over 30 monuments dating from the 14th century
onwards but the project’s principal focus remains leveraging cultural
assets for the communities benefit.

● With a density of 70,000/ sq. km. this was to be achieved by providing

health and education infrastructure, creation of economic opportunities,
improved urban setting, neighbourhood parks landscaped for community
needs, improved sanitation infrastructure , creating performance venues,
holding festivals to promote seven centuries of food, music, craft traditions
and the restoration of significant monuments.

RECLAIMING
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY STREET
ENGAGEMENT SPACES IMPROVEMENTS

URBAN MOVING
CONSERVATION FORWARD: