| Three months on, not even debris of Bahu Fort wall removed | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 12: Three months on and not even the debris of the wall collapsed at Bahu Fort has been removed.
The 110 feet wall of ancient Bahu Fort, which collapsed on August 18, is being ignored by the concerned authorities. Three months on, and the authorities have not even removed the debris of the collapsed wall.
Bahu Fort constructed in 30 Kanals of area is under threat after collapse of 110 feet wall from the right side, as the remaining wall from the same side has got major cracks in it. But the authorities seems to be busy in doing paper work and other formalities.
The concerned authority was given task to make the project report of the work, so that the funds can be sanctioned. But the even after three months of the incident, the department has not submitted their report.
Earlier also, the same was given the task of repair and maintenance of the Bahu Fort by the state Archeological Department in 2005, with the total budget allocation of Rs 69.5 lakh, out of which the department had spent more than Rs 47 lakh thus far but nothing was visible on ground.
The officials of the department , however, claims that they have completed more than 80 percent of renovation work, but neither they touched the wall which had collapsed nor they have done anything "extraordinary" to renovate Rani Mehal, which is situated on the rear side of the Fort.
S. K. A. Qadri, Consultant Tourism and Culture, when contacted said, "We are very keen about the restoration of the wall, even the funds are not the problem, as the minister has already assured that whatever will be the cost, he will sanction the funds."
"The government authority has been given the task to restore it, whenever they will submit their report we will start the restoration, we wanted to start it from zero level, so that this kind of incident should not happen again in future," he added.
The official sources in department concerned informed that the total estimate of the restoration is Rs.122.75 lakh, but the form of DPR is not prepared as yet, that is why the report is being delayed.
Bahu Fort is a cultural symbol of the City of Temples. The fort also has an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, the presiding deity of city and is revered by people across the region.
It is one of the most ancient structures in the state and is said to have been originally built by Raja Jambu Lochan centuries ago.
Records say Raja decided to build the fort when he witnessed a curious scene of a tiger and a goat drinking water side by side at the same location in the Tawi River.
It was refurbished by the erstwhile Dogra rulers in the 19th Century, when the rein of Maharaja Gulab Singh started after the fall of the Sikh empire in 1840. |
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