Jammu: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday visited the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex in the old city here and also inspected the damage caused to an ancient temple in its close vicinity.
Accompanied by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, the LG reviewed the ongoing restoration and conservation works at the heritage complex and the temple.
A portion of the wall of the nearly 200-year-old Gadadhar temple collapsed outside the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex on June 4 following rain, triggering concerns among locals who blamed the ongoing excavation and restoration work near the shrine for the collapse.
Talking to reporters, Dulloo said renovation of 11 buildings at the heritage complex is underway, with nine to 10 projects expected to be completed by March 2027.
Mubarak Mandi, located in the heart of the old walled city overlooking the Tawi river, was the royal residence of the Dogra dynasty rulers till 1925 before the last Maharaja moved to Hari Niwas palace in the northern part of Jammu.
In 2005, Mubarak Mandi was declared as a protected monument and subsequently Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society (MMJHS) was constituted next year to take over the complex for its protection, preservation, maintenance and restoration works.
The first vision document for its conservation was prepared by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in 2008 and a comprehensive master plan was later prepared and approved in 2019.
Primarily, the complex is zoned out in six zones — Public Zone, Knowledge Centre, Interpretation and Collection Galleries, Lifestyle, Experiential Spaces and Crafts Bazaar.
Under this master plan an amount of Rs 144.15 crore is to be spent on different sub-projects of this heritage complex.
The work on a few sub-projects has been completed and the work on other sub-projects will be taken up shortly for their completion on time.
The temple dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi was constructed during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh in the mid-19th century. It is managed by the Dharmarth Trust.
“Since there was a pressing need for parking in the area, a parking facility is being constructed by Smart City Limited. During the course of this work, a slab adjoining the temple collapsed. Repair work has already begun and is progressing, and it is expected to be completed within a few days,” the chief secretary said.
He said the effort of Smart City Limited is to create a parking facility with space for at least 200 vehicles.
The LG reviewed the ongoing repair and renovation works which are underway on a total of 11 buildings, he said.
Around nine or 10 of these projects have achieved approximately 80 to 90 percent completion and are expected to be completed by March 2027.
In addition, Dulloo said there are plans to take up five new projects, including the development of facilities such as a laser show, light-and-sound show, and other visitor amenities.
On the delay in completion of the project, Dulloo attributed it to inadequate funding in the past, saying the pace of work had accelerated over the last four to five years after funds started becoming available.
“Some of the restoration work was carried out by the Archaeological Survey (of India) authorities while the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society has also undertaken a number of projects and done good work.
Highlighting the progress made so far, Dulloo said several facilities, including a restaurant, cafe and library, have been developed as part of the restoration project, and assured that further conservation and renovation works would be taken up wherever necessary.
