NEW DELHI: The state archaeology department (SAD) will take over a cluster of unprotected heritage structures in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park for their upkeep and safeguarding.
Government officials, in the know of the matter, said that the department had resolved to ‘adopt’ about 12 structures building belonging to pre-Mughal, Mughal, and British period for which a survey was being done after the ‘ground’ work is expected to begin soon.
“Structures to be taken over by the department are more than 100 years old, which are not in the list of protected buildings of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the state department. Some of them were conserved in last 15 years and some are still buried under silt, partially visible thus require immediate attention,” said an official.
Ancient buildings to be acquired by the department have already been categorised and the process of spot verification was also done recently.
“Several of those heritage buildings are still in good condition. If we manage to conserve and protect them at this stage, we will be able to showcase them to next generation. They date back to Tughlaq, Khilji, Mughal or British period. A few of them were recently discovered,” said the official.
The list of the structures includes courtyard, colonnades, wall of a mosque, dwelling quarters, and a double storey building near Thomas Metcalfe’s guest house and behind Rajon Ki Baoli (step well) in the park.
Spreading about 200 acres, the archaeological park comprises about 80 structures representing the history and culture of the ancient cities of Delhi, built between 12th century (Chauhan period) and 19th century (British era).
The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is the owner of the land while the ancient buildings are under the custodianship of ASI, SAD, and Delhi Wakf Board.Lauding the efforts made by the SAD, Ajay Kumar, director (projects) at Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said indeed, the site is important area and contains several unknown structures, which should be preserved.
“The restoration and preservation can be taken up by respective agencies. Ideally, it should be the state archeology department as it has expertise and resources. A few of these buildings are adorned with lime araish, which is a technique to create smooth, glossy and crack-free surface. One building basically a room has a decorative architectural element — lintel, which suggests that it is a Hindu period structure,” he said.
INTACH has been carrying out restoration work in the park for about 10 years for SAD and so far the agency has repaired 25 buildings.
The tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1287), Rajon Ki Baoli (Lodi period around 1506), Jamali Kamali Mosque (1528-1529), and Bagichi Ki Masjid (a 16-century walled structure) are among noteworthy buildings. ‘Adoption’ of unprotected structures is part of the comprehensive conservation management plan (CCMP) directed by the Delhi High Court to prevent encroachment inside the park, said another official of the Delhi government.