Extensive damage to historic monuments during recent rains
Requirement of funds for restoration worked out
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 19: Following alarming revelations by Excelsior about the extensive damage caused to Jammu’s historic monuments in the recent spell of torrential rains, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has sought an action-taken report from the Department of Culture and emphasized that restoration works should be planned and initiated without delay.
Excelsior, in its edition dated September 6, exclusively reported that over a dozen historic monuments, including the Mubarak Mandi Complex, had been battered by the unprecedented rains. In its September 11 edition, the issue was again highlighted in an editorial, which stressed that the Government can no longer afford to treat heritage conservation as a cosmetic project.
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Now, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Public Services and Outreach Office (Raabita), has taken cognizance of the revelations and, in Communication No. CMS/PS\&O/1650, enclosed excerpts of the detailed report and editorial, directing the Culture Department to urgently examine the matter and take appropriate steps as per norms.
The Secretariat has dubbed as a “public issue” the contents of the report, which mentioned that the recent torrential rains have severely damaged historic monuments ranging from forts to temples and step-wells such as the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Udhampur’s Ladden Kotli Fort and Charai Mutal Bowli Complex, Reasi’s Zorawar Singh Palace, Samba’s Mahorgarh and Samba Forts and Ramban’s Godhagali site.
The Chief Minister’s Secretariat has asked the Principal Secretary, Culture Department, to inform it about the steps being taken to safeguard these monuments.
According to official sources, most of the historic monuments are made of traditional lime mortar and mud plaster, both of which are highly vulnerable to moisture. Unless the structures are allowed to dry naturally, any immediate intervention might worsen the cracks. “Because of this, the restoration of damages caused by the rainfall will begin only after two to three months,” they added.
As per the reports, the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, a protected monument under the Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums, has suffered extensive damage due to the recent continuous rainfall. Multiple portions of the complex have been affected, including the walls of the Gol Ghar Complex, the side wall of the Nazool office, the Deodi of Miyan Mota Samadhi and the wall near the Pink Hall, among others.
“Due to seepage and erosion, there is an apprehension that additional structures may also collapse, as water has deeply permeated the walls. The situation calls for urgent preservation and restoration measures. Since the Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums does not have its own conservation wing, it is not in a position to prepare the cost estimate of this extensive damage,” sources added, noting that “only the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society, which possesses a well-versed conservation wing, can prepare the detailed estimate of the damage”.
Regarding Bhimgarh Fort in Reasi, the Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums has tentatively worked out a requirement of Rs 20 lakh for restoration of damages caused by the recent rains. Likewise, for undertaking urgent waterproofing and plastering works at Chingus Sarai in Rajouri, a tentative amount of Rs 50 lakh has been proposed.
For the Poonch Fort, which is also a protected monument, an amount of Rs 390.10 lakh has been approved and Rs 50 lakh has already been released for the year 2025-26 in favour of the District Administration, Poonch, for undertaking conservation and restoration works under the ‘Scheme for Revival, Restoration, Preservation and Maintenance of Architecture and Heritage in J&K’, sources disclosed.
For Ladden Kotli Fort in Udhampur, an amount of Rs 50 lakh has already been approved for restoration, while Rs 2 crore would be required for the protection and restoration of the Charai Muttal Bowli Complex in the same district.
For Zorawar Singh Palace in Reasi, a tentative amount of Rs 3 crore has been proposed under the Revival, Restoration, Preservation and Maintenance of Architecture and Heritage Scheme. Similarly, for Samba Fort, the Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums has proposed a tentative requirement of Rs 20 lakh.
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