NEW DELHI: Tourists thronged to the Safdarjung Tomb on Monday as the fountains in the historic monument’s complex were switched on for the first time in decades.
The first fountain at Eastern gate (front gate) in Safdarjung tomb along with 12 others lined up perpendicular to the bulbous dome at the centre of the tomb have been started along with illuminating lights after repair work by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) ended.“The fountains on the front gate are functioning on a trial basis.
We are going to check if they work smoothly since they have not been operational for decades. Renovation work on the other fountains along the periphery of the monument is on,” ASI spokesperson Manu Sharma told this newspaper.
The tomb, roughly modelled on the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun, also encloses a series of fountains in all four directions with unusually large water channels. According to Sharma, around Rs 9 to Rs 10 lakh were utilised in repairing the fountains. Built in 1753-54, the garden-tomb complex is divided into four squares by wide paths and tanks.
On 29 July, the union tourism minister had announced that opening hours of 10 historical monuments across the country, including this tomb, were to be increased. They would be open from sunrise to 9 pm for the common public.