CONSERVATION OF CHARACTER OF A HILL TOWN: CASE STUDY MUSSOORIE

Abstract

The concerns of organizing development in the settlements are predominantly focused towards enhancing their economic and amenities infrastructure. However this pattern of priorities needs to be re-examined in the case of hill stations of India, whose morphological pattern distinctly governs the socio-cultural aspects of residing and touring community. This multifaceted demand pattern of hill towns determines the various aspects of its economic sustainability. The economic interest of the town is in attracting tourism, by virtue of its unique character which is distinctly pleasant from that on plains. Hence in any proposal for its development, a need to maintain the distinctness of its character is supremely important. In context of Mussoorie, as a typical ridge positioned hill town of India, the thesis aims to identify the parameters of its unique characteristics, which also represent the standard morphology of Hill stations in terms of location, setting, road form, streetscape, 'The Mall', the public buildings, the private cottages, the landscape, and so on. The thesis revolves around developing an explicit and comprehensive cause for the concern towards these aspects of a hill station's identity and justifies a need for its conservation by highlighting the comparative discussion of existing and changing character, firstly in all hill towns, and then specifically in Mussoorie. The thesis thereafter attempts to approach the issue of character appraisal on the lines of various urban conservation charters recommendation. The delineation of character area in Mussoorie and the areas specific Mussoorie has been attempted as guidelines proposition aiming to conserve the 'character' of 'the town which is till date the major attraction for tourists from all over India and in turn the spine of all economic activities of the station.