NEW DELHI: Having three world heritage sites, numerous monuments, forts and tombs, the national capital has no dearth of heritage structures. While a handful of them are familiar to most of the residents, several others have been lying in ruins for want of attention and care.
Aiming to conserve the city’s rich heritage and add more sites to the itinerary of visitors, the Delhi government has tied up with the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC). As part of the arrangement DTTDC will be entrusted with the upkeep of 71 historical sites, which have already been restored with the help of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
The sites selected for the regular maintenance include lesser known marvels such as Qudsia Bagh, Bhuli Bhatiya ka Mahal, Bawana Zail, Begumpur Masjid, Gol Gumbat, Bade Lao ka Gumbad, Mutiny Memorial and Jharna in Mehrauli.
Officials said regular maintenance will include cleaning of the sites and proper illumination. There is also a plan to allow food kiosks offering light snacks at the sites. Basic facilities such as washrooms will also be made available for visitors, besides posting security guards at the sites.
Once the DTTDC begins regular maintenance, cultural activities like mushairas, exhibitions, kavi sammelans, Dastangoi sessions, plays, folk dances, musical events, heritage walks, etc. will be held to bring back life to these sites.
Several heritage structures in the city have been in ruins due to lack of adequate care. Cracks and growth of vegetation over a long time cause irreparable damages to these structures. Last year the archaeology department of Delhi had taken note of the vulnerable condition of the monuments in the city and decided to draw up a plan to carry out maintenance on a regular basis. The plan was to tie up with DTTDC.
A government official had earlier said vulnerable sites need to be taken care of regularly. “DTTDC can be taken on board as it has a separate civil engineering and an electrical wing. The corporation can serve as a ‘one stop solution’ for the archaeology department,” the official had said.
Regular cleaning and lighting on the plan
The sites selected for the regular maintenance include lesser known marvels such as Qudsia Bagh, Bhuli Bhatiya ka Mahal, Bawana Zail, Begumpur Masjid, Gol Gumbat, Bade Lao ka Gumbad, Mutiny Memorial and Jharna in Mehrauli.Regular maintenance of these sites will include cleaning of the sites and proper illumination