Ensure water sources at Sanjay Van are protected, restore drying drains, wells: Delhi LG to officials

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Monday directed officials to ensure that water sources at Sanjay Van are protected and drying drains and wells be restored.

The LG's direction came during his visit to Sanjay Van and Mehrauli Archaeological Park in southern part of the city where he inspected the ongoing restoration and beautification works.

''Saxena visited Sanjay Van and Mehrauli Archaeological Park in south Delhi to inspect and review progress of ongoing comprehensive restoration and beautification works undertaken by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) the deadline for which has been set before the onset of this monsoon,'' a Raj Niwas statement said. At Sanjay Van, the LG visited the Baolis (stepwells) and directed the officials to ensure that water sources and the entire area must be protected. He also asked them to restore the drains and wells that are drying up. Spots were also identified where cultural programmes and events can be held, the Raj Niwas said. At Mehrauli Archaeological Park, while appreciating the progress, the LG directed the officials accompanying him to develop a time-bound plan for restoration and preservation of the monuments and encroachment removal, it said. These heritage monuments will be developed as new public assets for the national capital and will help Delhi emerge as a heritage city, the statement said. Most of the works at both the sites have been completed and they are already drawing large footfall since October last year when the LG had inaugurated the renovated Mehrauli Archaeological Park, it added.

These sites have been recently handed over to the Delhi Development Authority by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which is assisting in the protection of the monuments and their restoration, the statement said. The Ministry of Culture has also recently agreed that the DDA will use its resources to execute the conservation works while ASI, with all its expertise, will supervise the conservation works, it said.

The Mehrauli Archaeological Park, which is close to Qutub Minar, is spread across around 200 acres and is known to have more than 100 historical monuments and ruins. The nearby Sanjay Van also houses several monuments including Qila Rai Pithora, once the capital of Prithviraj Chauhan of Tomar dynasty. The other monuments present there are Rajon Ki Baoli and Anangtal Baoli, which are now undergoing restoration, according to the statement.

The LG also instructed the officials of DDA and ASI to identify and preserve scattered carved stones and relics for potential museum display, it added. Saxena had first visited the two sites on February 4, 2023 and since then he had had been overseeing the restoration work at the sites. This is the seventh visit of the LG to the two sites, the last being on March 4 this year.

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