By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The Dehradun district administration has initiated steps to preserve the city’s historical and cultural heritage alongside its ongoing urban development, with 200 heritage properties and sites identified during a preliminary survey.
A meeting chaired by Dehradun District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan was held on Saturday to discuss the conservation of historical and heritage buildings and sites in the state capital. Representatives of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), Drona Foundation and concerned departments attended the meeting.
Chauhan said development and heritage conservation should complement each other rather than compete. He stressed that Dehradun’s growth should not be confined to modern infrastructure and amenities but should also protect the city’s historical identity and cultural roots for future generations.
The District Magistrate directed NGOs and organisations working on heritage conservation to comprehensively document the city’s heritage under the Historic City Series-2026 initiative.
He said a special workshop would be organised in October to seek suggestions and identify important heritage sites for inclusion in the city’s town-planning process.
Chauhan directed the District Tourism Development Officer to engage consultants and prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) for the conservation of the selected heritage sites. The proposals will subsequently be sent to the state government for approval.
He said the city’s historical heritage was an invaluable asset and an important part of Dehradun’s identity. The administration would work with experts, NGOs and citizens to ensure coordinated efforts for its preservation.
Representatives of INTACH and the Drona Foundation said they had identified 200 historical properties during a preliminary survey conducted across the city. A detailed action plan will be prepared following the workshop scheduled for October.
Chief Development Officer Abhinav Shah, Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) KK Mishra, Joint Magistrate Harshita Singh, District Tourism Development Officer Jaspal Chauhan, Drona Foundation’s Dr Parul, NHIU manager Divyanshu and officials from town planning and INTACH were present at the meeting.