Delhi government to restore monuments under its jurisdiction

The Delhi government is working on restoration of monuments under its jurisdiction, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday and underlined that these important historical buildings have remained neglected for a long time that has caused much damage to the heritage structures.Sisodia held a high-level meeting with the officials concerned and reviewed the status of these monument sites, officials said.Delhi is known for its historical monuments all over the world and it is the priority of the Kejriwal government to preserve them for life.

The Delhi government is working on restoration of monuments under its jurisdiction, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Monday and underlined that these important historical buildings have ''remained neglected'' for a long time that has caused ''much damage'' to the heritage structures.

Sisodia held a high-level meeting with the officials concerned and reviewed the status of these monument sites, officials said.

''Delhi is known for its historical monuments all over the world and it is the priority of the Kejriwal government to preserve them for life. ''To ensure the conservation of all the monuments in jurisdiction of the Delhi government, its concerned departments are working diligently and round-the-clock,'' the Deputy Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

Delhi has a large number of historical monuments, many of which are centrally-protected, some under the Delhi government's jurisdiction and many other sites which fall under the ambit of the local civic bodies.

''Historical monuments in Delhi symbolise the country's evolution over the period of time. These extremely important historical buildings have remained neglected for a longer time, which has caused much damage to them. ''The Kejriwal government is ensuring that each of the monuments under its responsibility, gets a facelift as soon as possible without tampering with the essence of history associated with it. This will help generations to understand our history in a better way,'' Sisodia was quoted as saying in the statement.

Sisodia, who also holds the portfolio of art and culture, said most of the monuments in Delhi are maintained by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) but there are 71 hidden gems of history which are maintained by the Delhi government. These monuments too have great historical importance, he said.

''The Delhi government is working on restoration of these monuments and will organise various cultural events around them to celebrate their historical importance and spread awareness about them,'' he said.

After the review meeting, it was decided that the deputy chief minister will soon visit the sites to review conservation works in progress, a senior official said, adding, all sites under the Delhi government would be restored.

The conservation of Dara Shukoh Library and Baradari at Qudsia Bagh have also been expedited, the statement said.

The historic library, located in the campus of the Ambedkar University, Delhi at Kashmere Gate, was in a ''dilapidated condition for years''. The ceiling and walls of this library had become dilapidated due to lack of maintenance, it said.

''As the library is located in close proximity to the Yamuna, the issue of dampness in the building was always reported. The work of preserving and reviving this building of historical importance has been given priority and expedited,'' the statement said.

The work of preserving the Qudsia Bagh has also been taken up by the Delhi government. The government has not only done the maintenance of the buildings at the site, but has also ''given a new look to the garden,'' it added. These monuments each will soon get a state-of-the-art museum, the statement said.

Sisodia, in a tweet in Hindi said, work is going on in full swing on restoration of 71 monuments that come under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government.

Famous Dara Shukoh Library was a ''victim of neglect'' for years and had ''become dilapidated'', he alleged. The Delhi government gave it a priority and accorded it its real identity, he tweeted and shared pictures from before and after restoration work.

In another tweet, he shared images of Qudsiya Bagh and wrote that restoration work done at that site too.

''I will visit these sites this week and take stock of the maintenance work,'' Sisodia tweeted. Delhi's famous Malcha Mahal will also get a makeover soon. The government is planning to restore this popular monument soon and highlight its historical importance. The government is already in the process of restoring the Azimganj Serai, located in Sunder Nagar and phase-I of the restoration work has already been completed, the statement said.

''Very soon, we will begin the work on phase-II,'' Sisodia said.

Delhi has a large number of iconic monuments dotting its landscape. While some are located in sprawling gardens, many are languishing in dense neighbourhoods, surrounded by urban agglomerations. The Delhi Circle of the ASI has around 174 monuments, including the Qutub Minar, the Red Fort and the Humayun's Tomb -- all three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council also have several heritage sites under their jurisdictions. The Delhi government on Monday also said that five major monuments in Delhi would be illuminated in a tricolour theme to mark the 75th year of Independence Day.

These monuments are -- Birji Khan's Tomb in R K Puram, Sector-3; Baradari Qudsia Bagh; Bara Lao Ka Gumbad at Vasant Udhyan; Gol Gumbaz near Lodhi Flyover; and Tomb of Paik at Mukarba Chowk, the statement said.

''Historical monuments in Delhi symbolise India's rich heritage over centuries, protecting them will help future generations appreciate India's history better,'' Sisodia said.