Further laxity, negligence to be viewed seriously
*Experts, officials directed to ensure regular participation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 19: After months of prolonged inaction and uncertainty surrounding verification and handover of priceless Dogra-era treasures housed in the historic Toshkhana at Mubarak Mandi Complex, the Government has finally initiated steps to restart the stalled process by issuing fresh directions to officers and experts associated with the exercise.
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EXCELSIOR in its edition dated May 10, 2026 had exclusively reported that despite passage of several months after the process came to a grinding halt, no serious effort had been made either to revise the procedure or evolve an alternative mechanism for restarting the verification of priceless artifacts lying in the Toshkhana at Mubarak Mandi.
Today, the Directorate of Hospitality and Protocol issued a circular mentioning that despite clear and repeated instructions issued from time to time regarding presence of officials (especially experts from concerned department) in the process of handing over/taking over of the charge of Toshakhana (Single Lock), the concerned officials have failed to adhere to the prescribed directions in a time bound manner.
“This indifferent and callous approach displayed by the concerned parties has resulted in an inordinate delay in completion of the process, thereby causing unnecessary administrative inconvenience”, the Directorate said.
Stating that matter is constantly being monitored by the High Court and higher authorities and is required to be completed in 03 months time, the Directorate of Hospitality and Protocol has impressed upon all the concerned to treat the matter as urgent and of utmost importance and to ensure their presence in the process of handing over/taking over regularly without any absence.
All officers/officials concerned have been asked to extend full cooperation and coordination so that the process is carried out in an orderly, transparent, and time-bound manner strictly in accordance with the prescribed rules and procedures.
All the concerned particularly Department of Culture and Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums have been informed that the process of handing over/taking over will be conducted on every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week until the entire process is completed in all respects.
“Any laxity, negligence, or failure on the part of any concerned official in complying with these instructions shall be viewed seriously”, the Directorate of Hospitality and Protocol has made it clear in the circular.
The development assumes significance as the verification and scientific inventory of royal treasures had remained virtually suspended for several months after experts raised objections over the methodology adopted for the exercise.
The fresh circular appears to be the first concrete administrative move aimed at reviving the long-pending exercise amid growing concern in official and heritage circles over continued delay in transfer and scientific management of the treasures belonging to the erstwhile Dogra rulers of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Toshkhana, which remained closed for decades, was reopened on May 28 last year for inventory and verification of valuables lying inside the single-lock enclosure in the presence of officials from the Hospitality and Protocol Department and the Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums.
However, the process soon ran into controversy after experts associated with the exercise questioned the insistence on taking detailed measurements of every individual artifact before completion of inventory and takeover formalities. The experts reportedly described the exercise as impractical and highly time-consuming considering the huge number of articles awaiting verification.
The Directorate of Archives, Archaeology and Museums and other concerned departments have also been asked to depute nominated officers and experts regularly to ensure completion of the exercise in a transparent and time-bound manner.
Earlier, the entire collection of royal treasures, including gold and silver ornaments, armory and other priceless artifacts belonging to the erstwhile Dogra rulers, was housed in the historic Toshkhana at the Mubarak Mandi Complex.
However, the devastating fire incident several years back rendered the Toshkhana unsafe and vulnerable and subsequently most of the valuable gold and silver ornaments were shifted to a strong room in the Civil Secretariat, Jammu, for safety and security reasons.
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