Facelift of monuments, lake revamped with fountains & lights: Mehrauli Archaeological Park wears a new look
Fifty-four notable historical ruins and monuments that are housed within the 199-acre park were revamped by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in a bid to revive the city’s historic architecture, at an estimated cost of Rs 2.6 crore.
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Visitors can now access the 55 heritage structures in the park as pathways have been created by the DDA that connect the monuments to one another; these were previously lacking. (Express photo by Pallavi TO) A tomb revived from a bed of weeds, a lake replenished and now sporting fountains, monuments lit up in various shades of yellow — a revamped Mehrauli Archaeological Park was unveiled to the public on Friday.
Thrown open by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the park is dotted by several famous historical sites in and around it like the Jamali Kamali Mosque, Qila Rai Pithora, the tomb of Mohd Quli Khan, and adjacent Qutub Minar.
Fifty-four notable historical ruins and monuments that are housed within the 199-acre park were revamped by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), in a bid to revive the city’s historic architecture, at an estimated cost of Rs 2.6 crore.
“The place has transformed within 6 to 7 months. People in Delhi deserve good places where they can spend time with their family and we are making all efforts to revive heritage places,” Saxena said.
Delhi LG Vinai Saxena along with Meenakshi Lekhi unveiled the restored heritage structure of Mehrauli Archeological Park, in New Delhi. (Express photo by Pallavi TO)
Among the monuments that have undergone detailed interior restoration include Balban’s Tomb, which was earlier totally buried in weeds, and the Quli Khan Tomb, which was formerly in disrepair. Vantage locations have also been created within the park for visitors to view the Qutub Minar.
Moreover, visitors can now access the 55 heritage structures in the park as pathways have been created by the DDA that connect the monuments to one another; these were previously lacking. The longitudinal lake situated alongside the Metcalfe’s Boathouse has been refilled with water and replenished with features such as aerator fountains, a cascade, and lighting. Conservation work on the water body began in March.
Public amenities such as dustbins and benches have been placed across the park and a cafe has also been set up for visitors to grab snacks at affordable prices.
Metcalfe’s Boathouse and Quli Khan tomb were revamped. (Express photo by Pallavi TO)
The DDA claims all repair and conservation work has been completed while preserving the structures’ originality and historical significance. To improve the tourist experience, the DDA also suggested appropriate adaptive reuses for some park areas. “The Master Plan, 2021, and Unified Building Bye-Laws, 2016, of Delhi immensely promote adaptive re-use of historic buildings and this principle has been applied in the Park,” it said in a statement.
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