What defines a buildings fate? Maybe Politics.

Last year i witnessed one of the most iconic building of my city being demolished due to politics. The Hall of Nations, .the world’s first and largest-span space-frame structure built in reinforced concrete, holds special significance in India's post-colonial history—it was inaugurated in 1972 to commemorate twenty-five years of the young country’s independence. The demolition was part of a comprehensive redevelopment plan. The significant questions that beg to be asked at this point is how in a city with several heritage preservation agencies does a situation arise where the judiciary is left to make calls on the fate of structures widely viewed as having heritage value? The answer to the this question concerns my city’s messy bureaucratic machinery, there are as many as nine agencies, including the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the city’s municipal corporations, and INTACH, concerned with the protection of the city’s notified built heritage—all with varying degrees of power and influence. The largest power lies with the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC), which works under the Indian Government’s Ministry of Urban Development. While defending its case in the High Court, it was disclosed that HCC had decided to only consider building older than 60 years old to be considered in the heritage list.The decision now has left several other post-independence buildings in a legal vacuum of sorts and vulnerable to being demolished. This entire saga is also believed to have been driven by real estate concerns.