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STUDY TOUR TO PONDICHERRY

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-Meet Patel
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TABLE OF CONTEXT

 Aim & Objective……………………………………………………………………(3)

 Understanding of town Pondicherry
- History……………………………………………………………………………..(3)
- Urban structure………………………………………………………..……..(5)
- Image of city…………………………………………………………………….(6)
- Infrastructure…………………………………………………………………..(6)
 Observation of town
- Section of the road (hierarchy wise)………………………………..(9)
- Condition of building…………………………………………………….(10)
 Visit to INTACH
- Discussion……………………………………………………………………..(11)
- Role of INTACH
- Conservation effort made by INTACH
- Heritage walk………………………………………………………………..(12)
 Visit to government office…………………………………………………(13)
 References……………………………………………………………………….(13)

AIM
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Our main aim is the revitalization of the old city of Ahmedabad. To support this we have
taken site as Pondicherry.

OBJECTIVE
To examine the old city of Ahmedabad and to revitalize a local area plan.

HISTORY
When the British gained control of India in the late 1850s, they allowed the French to retain
their settlements in the country. Pondicherry, Mahé, Yanam, Karaikal and Chandernagor
remained a part of French India until 1954 when it was incorporated into the Indian Union
with the rest of French India. Pondicherry French Paradise in India While the rest of India was
under the British Raj, there were two enclaves in India, under the rule of European colonial
powers. Goa under the Portuguese and Pondicherry under the French. While Goa is known to
everyone, and is very popular, Pondicherry has not been that much highlighted. Everyone
who is someone talks about Goa, people feel it’s the place to be, famous for partying and fun.
But yet no one talks of Pondicherry as being a happening place, no one I have heard speaks
of honeymooning in Pondicherry or Pondy. Also while you have many De Souzas, De Costas,
Gonsalves in Goa, you don't hear of Depardiues, De Gaulles, staying in Pondy. But still Pondy
has a charm of its own, a gentle laid back charm, which helps you to soothe your soul. It’s very
quiet, calm and tranquil. It certainly is not the most beautiful of places, the Indian section is
like any other Indian city, dirty noisy and crowded, but is still charming. There is a legend that
sage Agastya had his Ashram there, and Pondy was used as a port during the Pallava, Chola,
Pandya, and Vijayanagar periods. The Portugese later set up a factory but were compelled to
leave by the Sultan of Gingee. French took over Pondicherry in 1673 AD. In 1674 Francois
Martin was first French Governor who converted it into a port town. The Dutch and French
fought many wars over it and in 1699 the French regained Pondicherry. Governors like Lenoir,
Dumas and above all Dupleix (1742-54) laid the foundations of Pondicherry and turned it into
an important town. Though India gained independence in 1947, the French handed over
Pondicherry to India in 1954. The entire town is divided into 2 sections, the French quarter
and the Indian quarter.
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To a visitor the French influence is unmistakable. The French names of the streets, the French
style villas, the bicycles on the streets. One could think that they are in some old
Mediterranean town popularized by Hollywood. In the French quarter, the buildings are
colonial style with long compounds and stately walls, which we see only in Hollywood
romances. The Indian (Tamil) quarter consists of houses lined with verandas, and houses with
large doors and grills. Walking through the streets of Pondicherry is like traveling in a time
machine, we see the type of houses we have only read about. Churches coexist with temples,
the cops wear French hats. French and Tamil are equally spoken, we can see the French flag
fluttering in some places. Every place has its own landmark which draws visitors to that place.
Paris and Eiffel Tower, London and Big Ben, and for Pondy it is the Aurobindo Ashram.
Founded in 1926 by one of India's famous sons, Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. It’s a unique
spiritual concept revolving around offering work as a Divine offering. There is another place
called, Auroville - the City of Dawn. It’s a unique township is never seen in India. It was an
experiment for celebrating unity in diversity. It was founded on Feb 28, 1968 the diversity of
Pondicherry is reflected in the festivals celebrated here. Pongal the harvest festival in January,
Bastille Day in July, Christmas and Fete de Pondicherry on Aug 15-17th with the brilliantly lit
Park monument. Pondicherry is also a famous educational center with the famous JIPMER
(Jawaharlal Institute of Post Grad Medical Educational Research) and Pondicherry University
is one of the better known Universities in India. A Blend of east and west, the modern and the
traditional, the old and new, Pondicherry is a living example of coexistence and unity.
1. French style building in Pondicherry Sign boards in Pondy Tamil area in Pondicherry
2. Sri Aurobindo cemetery Bastille Day in Pondy Eiffel Tower in Paris
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URBAN STRUCTURE
The city of Pondicherry located on the Eastern coast of India, is adorned with rich cultural
heritage from the pre-historic to modern colonial era. The monuments built during the French
colonial rule still exist and are in use. A considerable effort in the field of cultural heritage
preservation has been undertaken by the Government of Pondicherry, ably supported by
organizations such as INTACH. Programmes such as Asia -Urbs helped in preserving the
architectural heritage of Pondicherry. The collapse of La Mairie de Pondicherry on 29
November 2014 brought forth issues related to previous conservation efforts. An overall
understanding of the structural typology, material deterioration and distress is essential in
understanding the reasons for the collapse of La Mairie de Pondicherry, and is crucial to
ensure the structural health of similar structural typologies in Pondicherry and for developing
an appropriate structural conservation protocol for these buildings.
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IMAGE OF CITY
Pondicherry (or Puducherry), a French colonial settlement in India until 1954, is now
a Union Territory town bounded by the southeastern Tamil Nadu state. Its French
legacy is preserved in its French Quarter, with tree-lined streets, mustard-colored
colonial villas and chic boutiques. A seaside promenade runs along the Bay of Bengal
and passes several statues, including a 4m-high Gandhi Memorial.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
Pondicherry is endowed with excellent infrastructural facilities, on per with the best available
in the country.

ROADS:
Pondicherry is situated about 170 km south of Chennai on the east coast road and national
highway nh-45a connecting to Chennai and other major cities. a network of all-weather
metalled roads connecting every village exists in the territory. Pondicherry has a road length
of 2398 km (road length per 4.87 sq. km), the highest in the country.
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RAIL HEADS:
The union territory had rail heads at Puducherry, karaikal, yanam and mahe. Major cities are
linked union territory of Puducherry through rail

WATER RESOURCES:
The policy of the government is to promote less water intensive industries. Being a coastal
area bore wells are not allowed within six kms. From high tide line. Hence, desalination and
recycling techniques of waste water would be encouraged.

SEA PORT:
Pondicherry is close to several ports like Chennai, nagapattinam, tuticorin, Kakinada,
Vishakhapatnam and Cochin. Pondicherry port will be modernised with container handling
facilities and storing infrastructure.

COMMUNICATIONS:
Puducherry is a part of the global information highway.

BANKING:
nationalised and commercial banks functioning in Pondicherry apart from this, pipdic, a state
finance corporation renders yeoman service for promotion of small and medium scale
enterprises. Branches of national financial institutions like sidbi/nabard/ nsicalso exist.

SKILLED MANPOWER:
Pondicherry has reputed technical institutions such as the Pondicherry central university,
engineering colleges, medical colleges, dental, veterinary, agriculture and community
colleges, polytechnics and industrial training institutions. Pondicherry has a high
concentration of highly resourceful, committed and productive science and technology
graduates, apart from English, a considerable number speak French.

RESPONSIVE ADMINISTRATION:
Proactive investment policies, hassle-free environment and an industry-friendly government
have made Pondicherry a heaven for business. The process of clearances and approvals has
been rationalised with emphasis on time-bound decisions by government departments and
authorities. The responsive administration solves problems, if any, in the quickest possible
time and ensures that the investors realise their dreams.
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COSMOPOLITAN CULTURE:
A large number of french, belgians and germans have made Pondicherry their second home
and have thus promoted its congenial cosmopolitan atmosphere. Pondicherry also provides
a good standard of living, quality-housing facilities, standard educational institutions including
french schools, adequate health care and recreational facilities. All communities live in peace
and harmony. There are a large number of restaurants specialising in french, italian and
american cusines.

GOOD INDUSTRIAL RELATION:

Pondicherry is known for peace and stability which is a pre-requisite for smooth and fast
industrial growth. Labour relations in the union territory is excellent with a good track record
of industrial harmony allowing you to concentrate on your business. a co-operative, educated,
skilled and understanding labour is an asset. Good industrial relations ensure industrial peace.
The labour department provides conciliatory and mediatory mechanism for resolution of
industrial disputes between management and labour.

OBSERVATION OF TOWN
Pondicherry also known as Puducherry, situated on the east coast of India, 135 km south of
Chennai, is a former French colony. Even years after the French left it, Pondicherry has
managed to retain its French influence with tree-lined avenues and Mediterranean style
houses that lend it a curious non-Indian touch. Made up of four small unconnected districts,
Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahe, the union territory of Puducherry is bordered
by Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The best way to see Pondicherry and its surrounding areas is by renting out a bicycle or a
motorcycle (Rs 40 or Rs 200 upwards per day) from the several outlets on Mission Street and
MG Road. With the slow pace of life in Pondicherry, there is not much you can do making it
an ideal destination for a relaxing holiday. While there are a few tourist spots in the area, the
major attraction of the area are the different water sporting facilities. Scuba Diving, Scuba
Jumping and Surfing courses are available in Pondicherry and this attracts a large number of
tourists to the area. Another major attraction in the area is Auroville, an experimental
township where people from all countries, races, castes, creeds and political ideologies can
live together in peace and progressive harmony. Several tourists visit Auroville in order to
meditate and focus on spirituality instead of material benefits. While traveling to Pondicherry
keep in mind the climatic conditions, summers can be quite unbearably hot.
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BEST PLACES TO STAY IN PONDICHERRY

Being a beach town, Pondicherry has a considerable number of resorts that offer the best in
luxury accommodation and panoramic views of the ocean. However, since the summers are
hot and tourists visit the town almost throughout the year, it is advisable to book your rooms
in advance and make sure they come with an air conditioner.

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN PONDICHERRY

Puducherry offers a variety of cuisines. From South Indian delicacies like idli and dosa to
fresh, from continental cuisine to Creole, authentic French to Italian; Puducherry will spoil
you with its food options. Creole food in Puducherry is not only a potpourri of French and
Tamil cuisine, it also has influence of Portuguese and Dutch. French food is available in several
restaurants especially those located in the French quarter. The restaurants typically offer non-
vegetarian specialties. Some restaurants also offer exotic dishes like babe octopus a
l’Armoricaine. Vegetarians need not be disheartened as chefs do prepare vegetarian dishes
on demand. Some of the best, fluffiest and tastiest croissants, breads, quiches, pastries and
baguettes can be found in Auroville.

CONDITION OF BUILDING

If Puducherry were human, its soul would be the Beach Road. Traffic is closed here between

six in the evening and seven-thirty in the morning, and pedestrians claim the space. Locals in

shorts or saris jog or stroll down, earphones plugged in, or in the company of friends, family

or pets. White faces mingle with brown. Not all the Indians are Tamils – the original

inhabitants of Puducherry – just as not all the foreigners are tourists. There are those who

have come from across India and abroad, to make Puducherry their home for a few years,
decades or generations. Come Friday, visitors – often from nearby Chennai or Bengaluru –

add to the mix. This intermingling of cultures, experiences and skills, dating back centuries,

gives Puducherry its identity, reflected in its cuisine, customs, language and especially its

architecture. It also gives the Puducherry government the reason to seek a UNESCO heritage

tag for the Union Territory (UT), or at least parts of it.

The preparation for the application to the international organisation for a ‘heritage city’ listing
has already been initiated. Helping the government in achieving the task is the local chapter
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of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). A team of representatives

from the government and INTACH have also visited Ahmedabad, the old part of which is

recognised as a heritage city by UNESCO, to study the work that went into getting this

recognition.

“Puducherry is one of the most planned cities of India. That heritage has to be conserved,”

says P Parthiban, secretary to government (tourism). “Our focus is on the ‘white town’, but

there is also our own history to protect”

Visit to INTACH
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) was set up in 1984 and, as
the name suggests, is India’s National Trust for the conservation of India’s unprotected
heritage. The vision of its founding members was to create a membership organization to
stimulate and spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India in the image of much
older National Trusts of other nations. INTACH has pioneered the protection of India’s natural
and cultural heritage and is today the largest membership organization in the country
dedicated to conservation. With its headquarters in New Delhi, it has more than 140 chapters
all over the country.
The INTACH Chapter was started in Pondicherry in 1985. The INTACH Conservation Cell was
set up in 1998 with an initial grant-in-aid from the Town and Country Planning Department.
Since then, it has been working with the Government of Pondicherry and the public to
conserve the architectural heritage and townscape of Pondicherry.
In the early years INTACH Pondicherry collaborated with Institute Francis de Pondicherry (IFP)
and Ecole franchise dExtrme Orient (EFEO) on various projects. It was the late Françoise
l'Hernault (1937-1999) of EFEO who initiated the movement to protect the architectural
heritage of Pondicherry. This work is now being continued by a team of dedicated architects,
engineers and other interested persons.
INTACH works in co-ordination with the Public Works Department, Town and Country
Planning Department, Pondicherry Planning Authority, Department of Art and Culture,
Department of Education, Pondicherry Tourism and Transport Development Corporation and
individual Heritage-building owners, builders and architects.
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Heritage walk

The heritage walk was designed to highlight Pondicherry’s rich architectural heritage. Today,
tourists and residents can still enjoy this exploration of the Tamil and French Quarters. Guides
were trained, and a brochure with a map of the old city and the various routes was published
in English, Tamil, French and Italian. An introductory video on the architectural heritage of
Pondicherry was prepared. Another essential component was the development of
appropriate signage and guidance systems to generate awareness.

Section of the road (hierarchy wise)

Visit to government office

Government of Puducherry has issued a Notification vide G.O.Ms.No.01/Tsm/2017-18 dated

18.04.2017. As per the Notification, the following concession / support shall be extended to
the selected Airline Operators for operating Flight service at Puducherry Airport.
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 VAT at the rate of 0% shall be levied on ATF at the RCS Airport sold to an
Aircraft with a maximum take-off mass of less than forty thousand kilograms Operated
by scheduled airlines for a period of ten (10) years from the date of the notification.
Government of Puducherry shall co-ordinate with oil marketing companies for
provision of fueling infrastructure at the RCS Airport on best effort basis. At present
Night Landing facility is not available. But however the Airport Authority of India has
proposed to setup the Night Landing facility very soon. Night parking facility is
available. The State Government is providing free Electricity and water to the Airport
under RCS Scheme Additional incentive may be provided in the form of Underwriting
of seats that will be finalized on mutual discussions between the Government and the
interested Airline.

REFRENCES
https://www.britannica.com/place/Puducherry-union-territory-India

https://www.google.com/search?q=report+on+pondicherry&rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN825IN825&oq=repo
rt+on+podechre&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0.16661j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328017390_Wall_Morphology_in_Historic_Buildings_in_
Pondicherry_in_TEKTON_A_Journal_of_Architecture_Urban_Design_and_Planning_-

https://www.shutterstock.com/search/pondicherry

https://www.puducherryonline.in/city-guide

https://www.pipdic.com/infrastructure.html

http://www.intachpondicherry.org/heritagewalk.php

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/building-a-heritage-city-will-puducherry-be-the-next-
on-the-unesco-list/story-OThaJDUxdjWq8ah4wk280H.html

https://conferencealerts.co.in/listing/puducherry.php

http://www.pondytourism.in/explore-and-experience-innerpage.php?id=18