‘AMC apathy delaying Rani ka Hajira’s renovation’

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) blames the easy going attitude of the officials of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for the sorry state of many of the city's monuments. ASI officials cite the dilapidated condition of the over 500-year-old heritage monument, Rani ka Hazira, as an example of the civic body's indifference.

Located in the Manekchowk area of Ahmedabad, Rani ka Hazira is the mausoleum of the queen of Sultan Ahmed Shah, the founder of the city. The approach to the mausoleum has been illegally encroached upon by open air shops while the inside of the monument has people living and trading from there. The shops adjoining the heritage structure have already caused damage to it.

ASI officials say they have verbally requested AMC authorities to get Rani ka Hazira cleared of all encroachments so that they can begin repairs and renovation work on the historic structure. But the AMC is yet to clear the monument and its adjoining areas of encroachments.  Senior conservator of ASI, A Agharia, told DNA that Rani ka Hazira needs immediate attention.

"We have requested AMC officials many times to remove the encroachments but we are yet to get a response," Agharia said. He further said that there are many monuments in the city which have illegal encroachments but Rani ka Hajira has the maximum number of illegal structures which need to be removed.

"The encroachments have to be removed so that we can conduct a survey there and prepare a plan report on the parts of the monument which need renovation," Agharia said.

He conceded that they had made the requests only verbally so far during meetings. "But I'll write a letter to the AMC requesting removal of the encroachment," he said.  Mayor Asit Vora, however, expressed surprise over the ASI's complaint and said that he was not aware of its request. "I have met ASI officials so many times but they have never told me about it. If any such request comes from them, we will definitely support it. There is no question of not heeding to the ASI's request. We, too, want to preserve our heritage monuments," Vora said.

Deputy municipal commissioner of the heritage department of AMC, Capt Dilip Mahajan, said that the AMC and the ASI had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

"Now, AMC will fully support ASI in all its restoration work on heritage monuments of the city. Earlier, there may have been some disputes but, because of the MoU, all requests of the ASI will be met. The AMC and ASI will work together," Mahajan said.