Delhi: M
This is a collection of newspaper articles selected for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Maldhar Khan gardens
The Times of India, Jul 07 2015
Richi Verma
Mughal gateway crumbles under encroachment burden
Rapid urbanization and authorities' neglect seem to have caused irreparable damage to some of Delhi's heritage structures. An early 18th century gateway built by Maldhar Khan, Nazir during the reign of Mohammed Shah, collapsed in north Delhi on Sunday morning. It was one of the two gateways leading to the garden of Maldhar Khan, which has also disappeared over the years. The surviving structure is in a dilapidated state having seen no conservation work over decades. Both the gateways are located on GT Road, close to ASIprotected Tripolia gateways.Nobody was hurt when the structure collapsed on Sunday .One could only see rubble, debris and remains of the monument on Monday , with only some portions left standing.“It's fortunate no one was hurt when the building came tumbling down. We have never seen the authorities showing any interest to preserve this building, even though it dates back to 1710, said Vinod Bansal, who owns a shop adjacent to the collapsed gateway .
It is not clear which agency has jurisdiction over the monument. But encroachment is rampant in the area with many heritage structures being damaged by vandals and squatters. “I have been living here for many years. I used to pay rent for running my shop in the building to its owner. We knew the building was going to collapse as we saw small pieces of debris falling and noticed an unusual tilt to the monument early on Sunday .My shop has been closed as the whole building is declared dangerous now, said Niranjan Sharma, who had a telecommunications shop right next to the gateway entrance.
According to Intach Heritage listing, the double-height gateway was originally faced with red sandstone. The upper floor was taken over as a resi dence years ago, which is the only portion still standing.
The surviving gateway to the garden of Maldhar Khan, meanwhile, is also falling to pieces. Sources said both the gateways were surveyed and identified by the department of archaeology for conservation and protection under the Delhi Archeology Act. Experts said the delay in imple menting conservation measures had caused more damage to them. Officials from the department of archaeology did not respond to calls made by TOI.
Both structures also figure in the municipal corporation's list of notified heritage buildings. North Corporation commissioner P K Gupta said: “We'll have to look into the reasons of the collapse and determine the building's ownership. Action will be taken accordingly . The Maharana Pratap Bagh RWA has also written to the Delhi government over the collapse, accusing them of negligence.
“This historic building was heavily encroached upon.The department of archaeology failed to take action, which led to this, said Saurabh Gandhi, RWA president. On Monday , a team from ASI visited the site to assess whether the collapse had any effect on the Tripolia gateways.
Mehram Nagar
Mughal courtier’s lost garden
Historic ruins at Mehram Nagar are disappearing and may not stand the test of time for long
Richi Verma | TNN
The Times of India 2013/07/22
The minute you drive out of Indira Gandhi International Airport, you pass Mehram Nagar. Only the cognoscenti know it’s home to ruins of a lost era.
A gateway, a mosque, an enclosing wall, a katra and an authentic Mughal garden—all in various stages of dilapidation and decay—stand testimony to the historicity of the settlement set up in mid-17th century and named after Mughal courtier Mehram Khan.
Only one of the three gateways to the 17th-century Mughal sarai stands today. One other vanished decades ago and remnants of the third can be seen between a cluster of shops and houses. The surviving gateway is an imposing double-storey structure with pointed arch openings enclosed by a cusped arch façade. The side bays have been encroached by shopowners but the fact that the wooden gates are buried at least two feet deep stands testimony to their age. A few feet away, construction work for a Metro station is on full swing.
Some distance away lie remains of the sarai wall. Portions of it can be seen inside the village interspersed by new constructions and houses. Made of rubble masonry, the wall is six metres high and crowned by battlements and vaulted chambers. A significant chunk of the western wall vanished several years ago when a road was laid between Mehram Nagar and a large green area on the other side. A parking lot being built adjacent to the southern wall has taken a toll.
The farmland on the opposite side of Mehram Nagar, is owned by the defence ministry. It houses portions of the enclosing wall and a baoli and is known as Mehram Khan’s garden. The ruins stand forgotten, made inaccessible by thick foliage and dense vegetation.
Yet they can be conserved to make Mehram Nagar a prime tourist attraction especially as it’s located so close to the airport, say experts.
The state archaeology department has identified some of the ruins for conservation and protection in Phase III of a project, the MoU of which has been signed by Intach and Delhi government (Phase II is yet to take off), but “in the meantime, the government should keep a tab and ensure the ruins do not fall prey to urbanization. With so much construction work happening around Mehram Nagar, the ruins could disappear completely”, an official said.
Mehram Khan
Mehram Khan was a powerful noble in the courts of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb
Mehram Nagar village, opposite the domestic airport, was established during his reign
Here, ruins of gateways, mosque, katra and enclosure wall are found
Only one out of three old gateways still survives. The imposing wooden doors are similar to those at Red Fort
Portions of the eastern and southern walls that surrounded Sarai Mehram Nagar still exist
Construction work by Delhi Metro and an upcoming parking lot threaten the ruins
None of the structures are protected, though they have been identified for conservation and protection by the state archaeology department.
Millennium Depot
