a mayor of kolkata had once infamously remarked what is this hullabaloo over heritage the comment had raised quite a few eyebrows among those concerned with the dramatic changes that were happening to neighbourhoods in the city with stately old bungalows and buildings being torn down to make way for highrise blocks that lacked character that was a decade ago when consciousness about kolkatas built heritage was at an alltime low and old buildings were considered a liability rather than an asset theres been a dramatic shift in perception since with awareness on heritage extending beyond the sphere or art and culture to embrace buildings that have shaped the citys character the biggest positive is the change in attitude towards heritage conservation with officials at kolkata municipal corporation and state urban development department realizing the value of built heritage and the need for its conservation the amendment to the kmc act has been a great enabler in offering a better perspective on heritage to key decision makers over 1000 buildings have come under a semblance of protection following listing and notification by kmc in february 2009 the fact that there is a cell within kmc that is looking after heritage is a great positive for the city in fact kmc has been swift to act when informed of a threat to any heritage building said g m kapur convener of the kolkata chapter of indian national trust for art cultural heritage intach influenced by the change in the governments attitude towards built heritage pace of restoration has quickened with both public and private sectors chipping in royal insurance building and stephen house in dalhousie metropolitan building at esplanade park mansions and karnani mansion along park street star theatre on bidhan sarani and minerva theatre off central avenue are among a slew of stately heritage buildings that have been restored and brought into reuse over the past few years one of the biggest achievements of heritage activists like intachs kapur and conservation architect manish chakraborti of action research in conservation of heritage arch was dalhousie square being declared a world monument site in 2004 and 2006 the citation brought into sharp focus the abundance of riches in terms of built heritage that kolkata had inherited from its colonial past and triggered the restoration of several buildings in its precincts the movement for conservation really kicked off after dalhousie square was given the heritage tag by world monument fund a global organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites what is needed now is to ensure that the impetus is not lost said chakraborti who was behind the nomination of dalhousie square wmf later funded the restoration of st johns church in dalhousie not only has the average citizen of kolkata become more aware of the heritage that was earlier only appreciated by foreigners particularly europeans visiting the city the kmc heritage committee has become more active meeting every month to review applications and approve proposals kmc