Excavated trench at Purana Qila to be reopened before G20 Summit

The trenches have not been filled up but are covered with tin sheets and tarpaulin to protect the excavated remains from rain. “Immediately after the rains are over, we will remove the temporary cover and after minor scraping and brushing it can be showcased,” officials added.

“This year, we have taken up a new trench of 10×10 metre in a flat area in front of the site museum, near Kunti Temple,” said ASI Director Vasant Swarnkar, who is supervising the latest season of excavations.

He added, “It is a belief that at the centre of the mound, one may get all cultural layers, especially the lowest cultural deposit or earliest settlement of the site.”

This is the fifth season of excavations at the site. Swarnkar said that in this round “ASI team is getting evidence of major or big activities like a big brick platform and a kiln”, while the previous excavations yielded residential complexes and fortification walls.

For the G20 delegates and other visitors, Purana Qila excavations will unravel Delhi’s history through its different layers, said ASI officials. The idea is to turn the excavated trench at the site into a visitors’ spot, where those who walk in can see “a continuous habitation of 2,500 years”, according to the agency.

The 40×15 metre trench area will be covered with a shed, and walkways and pathways will be created to ensure visitors get to see all the layers of history, starting from the pre-Mauryan period to the surface level, which denotes the Mughal period, said ASI officials.

Swarnkar said the objective of the excavation is to reach the earliest settlement. “To expose all cultural layers and preserve them for public viewing, two more seasons may be required,” he added.