*ASI refuses to enhance manpower
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, May 28: Several dispensations have come and gone in the State but speeding up of restoration of historic Mubarak Mandi complex has remained confined to the official statements with ground situation still painting depressing scenario. The level of non-seriousness can be gauged from the fact that the Governing Body and Executive Committee have not met during the past one year although vital decisions about the crumbling Dogra grandeur are required to be taken at these forums.
Though in the official circles it is stated that adequate measures are being taken to give necessary impetus to the restoration of Mubarak Mandi complex, the fact remains that work is going on at snail’s pace because of non-seriousness at every level in the administration. Till date, only one complex has been restored and restoration work is going on at another portion without any deadline for its completion.
Stating that Government is still continuing with experimental approach on the speedy restoration of the complex, sources said that while chairing Governing Body meeting of the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society on June 19, 2015, the then Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had directed the Divisional Commissioner Jammu to prepare Restoration-cum-Utilization Plan.
This decision was taken as majority of the members of the Governing Body expressed dis-satisfaction over pace of restoration work. The Divisional Commissioner completed the task assigned by the then Chief Minister within the stipulated time-frame and in the Action Plan thrust was laid on requesting the Union Ministry of Culture for establishment of a special unit of Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in Jammu and Kashmir so as to ensure speedy restoration work.
Moreover, the Action Plan suggests complete ban on idle parking of any sort of vehicle inside the heritage complex premises, development of multi-tier parking for tourists visiting the complex on the portion outside the complex on the Dhounthaly Bazar for which judiciary had given the No-Objection Certificate and immediate restoration of Dogra Art Museum building so that the same could be thrown open to visitors as early as possible.
The Divisional Commissioner had also recommended that Tourism Department in consultation with the Director Archives and Museums shall get this museum included as one of the attractions of the Jammu City Tour Package in consultation with the tour and travel agents both at the national and State levels.
Restoration of central park to its original shape in consultation with the ASI authorities; restoration of defunct fountains; restoration of central coronation platform inside the park; widening of approach road to the complex from the Panjtirthi and removal of encroachments right from Radio Station Chowk up to the Mubarak Mandi Complex were the other recommendations of the Divisional Commissioner.
However, despite lapse of one year only landscaping works have been initiated besides restoration work on the backside of the museum building that too at snail’s pace, sources said, adding “neither Tourism Department nor other concerned agencies of the Government initiated any step worth noticing in order to timely implement the Action Plan of Divisional Commissioner and all the impediments pointed out by the Divisional Commiss-ioner are still existing”.
“The slow pace of work is notwithstanding the fact that Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh, while chairing a meeting on October 30, 2015, had directed the ASI to complete the restoration work as soon as possible so that tourists can visit the historical monument of Dogra rulers”, sources said, adding “he had even asked for completion of renovation works of Dogra Museum on priority basis”.
On April 20 this year, the present Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti during inspection of some projects in Jammu announced that an international consultant will soon inspect Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex and chalk out a strategy for its restoration to pristine glory. However, the Department of Culture is unaware of this announcement with a senior officer stating: “The Chief Minister’s Office may have taken a step in this direction”.
Stating that slow pace of work will continue, sources said that ASI has explicitly told the administration that it cannot enhance its manpower for want of residential colony. “There is only 50% manpower as against the total sanctioned by ASI for restoration of historical monuments in Jammu and Kashmir”, sources said, adding “the ASI officers and officials are reluctant to work in the State as they feel it financial burden on their pockets in managing private houses for residential purposes”.
“The intensity of non-seriousness can further be gauged from the fact that Governing Body as well as Executive Committee have not met during the past one year although they are supposed to take vital decisions vis-à-vis restoration of historic complex”, they said, adding “now an exercise has been initiated to reconstitute both these bodies and their meetings would be convened only after completion of this process”.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr Pawan Kotwal confirmed that impediments like shifting of parking, creation of parking lot outside the complex premises, promoting Dogra grandeur by the Tourism Department and increasing manpower by the ASI are still persisting. He, however, claimed that work has been speeded up.
About reconstitution of Governing Body and Executive Committee, he said, “Chief Minister wants to include experts in the Governing Body so that they can advise on vital subjects”, adding “Executive Committee has to be headed by the Culture Minister particularly after creation of Department of Culture as such this form is also required to be reconstituted”.
He said that once the parking lot issue is resolved, the Tourism Department will be asked to take steps for bringing tourists to the historic complex with the assistance of tour operators.
About the restoration work, he said, “It is a time consuming process because of technicalities of the job”.
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