L-G visits Shalimar Bagh, asks DDA to team up with ASI for its redevelopment

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Saturday visited the Mughal-era Shalimar Bagh and directed the DDA to chalk out a road map for the redevelopment and restoration of the historic complex in coordination with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), an official statement said.

After taking stock of the situation on ground, Saxena directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to draw up a road map for the redevelopment, restoration and rejuvenation of the “hitherto lying neglected” historic complex, in coordination with the ASI, the statement said.

The L-G also visited the historic Sheesh Mahal in the park, which was the site of coronation of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1658, and also took stock of the gardens, spread over 150 acre, it said.

He instructed the DDA to immediately start works on the restoration of gardens and complete the entire process of redevelopment/rejuvenation within the next six months, it stated.

Saxena expressed anguish that this architectural beauty of the medieval era was lying in a state of neglect due to apathy of the stakeholder departments/agencies and directed their officials to coordinate with each other for the restoration as has been done in the last one year for many such monuments in the national capital, it said.

The most notable of these has been the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, which has emerged as a new destination in the city, witnessing a footfall of more than 1,500 visitors on a daily basis, it stated.

“The Sheesh Mahal Shalimar Bagh complex, apart from having restored greens, gardens, repaired monuments, water channels and walkways, will also have a restaurant and other public utilities, once the exercise is completed. Saxena gave specific instructions for rejuvenation of the water body in the complex,” the statement said.

Local residents, including people from neighbouring urbanised village, told the LG that huge tracts of the park had been encroached upon and had become a den for criminal activities, it said.

During his two-hour inspection, Saxena asked the DDA and ASI to immediately start cleaning work of the area and explore the remains of water channel leading to the fountain area and restore them. He said that other structures around the monument would also be restored, the statement said.

The park has various facilities, including open gym, nursery and compost plant, lying in a state of disrepair.