KUALA LUMPUR: Calling its detractors “misinformed”, the Vivekananda Ashram management committee said its redevelopment plans for the historic building did not include plans to demolish it.

Instead, the building would remain intact, the committee said in a statement yesterday, its first public comment on the matter since coming under fire from heritage supporters, politicians and citizens who want the century-old building preserved and gazetted as a heritage site.

“The widespread belief that the ashram building is going to be demolished is not true … There are absolutely no plans to demolish the ashram building, the building will be left intact and strengthened,” the statement said.

It added that the new development plans — which include a multistorey apartment building around the ashram as reported by newspapers — would see amenities being added to provide better facilities to complement the existing ashram.

According to the committee, the land was acquired by the ashram more than 80 years ago and currently comprises the ashram building, a hostel built in the 1960s and the Sangeetha Abivirithi Sabha auditorium, which is partially constructed.

The ashram hall could only accommodate about 100 people and the “changing demographic and social environment” has made the hostel redundant, while the auditorium was never fully completed since the 1970s because of financial constraints, the committee said.

“Notwithstanding the changes taking place, the management committee is fully aware that the ashram building has a lot of significance to the community because of various educational, cultural and spiritual activities,” it said.

A signature drive was carried out, with tens of thousands signing the petition to save the ashram from redevelopment. The objections were scheduled to be handed to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall yesterday.

The committee said the additional amenities included under the redevelopment plan would enable the ashram to better serve the needs of the future generation, while the ashram building will be issued a separate title to protect its ownership.

“The terms of the development are such that the developer will be allowed to build in certain sections within the property and take measures to protect the structure of the ashram building.

“The proposal to develop the ashram was conducted via a tender exercise which received submissions from developers,” the statement said.

These submissions were reviewed by an advisory committee that was chaired by a senior independent adviser who has vast experience in property development.

The committee also said that the redevelopment project had been approved by the management and members of the ashram, and that preservation of the ashram building was a key condition that received the members’ approval. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on November 12, 2014.