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Shahdara monuments await PM’s nod
By Shoaib
Ahmed The conservation of Shahdara Complex comprising three monuments awaits Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s approval. — Dawn LAHORE: The conservation of Shahdara Complex comprising three monuments awaits Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s approval, a source in the federal archeology department told Dawn. The monuments — Jahangir’s Tomb, Akbari sarai and Asif Khan’s tomb — situated on the western bank of the Ravi, have been in dire need of conservation and preservation since long. Some months ago the revised PC-1 of Rs461.837 million was submitted to the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), headed by Mr Gilani. In the revised PC-I conservation and preservation of the complex, especially of Akbari Sarai and Asif Khan’s tomb, had been strongly recommended due to their dilapidated condition. The work on Emperor Jahangir’s tomb is already in progress which is part of the PC-I. The source said an Rs100.902 million PC-I was approved by the CDWP in May 2005 and the work on monuments commenced accordingly. But factors such as new structural threats and cost over run due to enhanced labour and material rates led to revision of PC-I. Listing the reasons for monuments’ fast decay, a Complex official said colossal damage had been done to them due to weather changes, temperature variations, periodical floods, earthquakes, rains’ impact, strong winds and other natural hazards. Biological and microbiological worms, fungi, white ants and termites also contributed significantly to the decay, he added. The official said at present work on Jahangir’s tomb was on which included fixing of Sang-e-Badal (a stone type) floor, restoration of marble grills and fountains, bricks on edge pavement, kankar lime fixing, edging of old kankar lime plaster, replacement of wooden doors on tomb’s all four sides and restoration of water channels from southern and central tanks. He said preservation and restoration work on the complex was first initiated by Public Works Department of British government in 1928. After independence, the federal archeology department carried out work on these monuments from 1948 to 1949, then 1950 to 1951 and then from 1952 to 1953. In 1991 four PC-Is were prepared for the complex, covering various conservation and preservation aspects which were later merged into one document in 2005. He said the master plan for the Complex was conceived in 2005 which would last till 2013. Dawn:Friday ,May 22,2009
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