The fort at Amritsar. (Express photo) The fort at Amritsar. (Express photo)

Over a decade after former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh handed over Qila Gobindgarh of the great Sikh warrior Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Amritsar to Punjab government for “restoration and conservation”, the state government has approved plans for a luxury resorts and many more facilities at the site, which experts say are damaging to its “historical fabric” and a violation of guidelines by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The fort, which also has archaeological remains of the Franco-Sikh style military architecture, was under the Army till 2006 before being handed over to the Punjab government following a request by the then CM Amarinder Singh to then PM Dr Manmohan Singh. It was opened for public in 2016 after first phase of renovation under the SAD-BJP rule.

Now, the Punjab government has approved the plan prepared by the fort’s concessionaire, Mumbai-based Mayanagri World One Private Limited, to introduce several new elements, including tented accommodations (part of a luxury resort), a 50-room hotel, public toilets, pantry, playing area for children, a swimming pool and more. Most of these elements will be added in ravelin and moat areas which, as per experts, are the “most significant and archaeologically sensitive areas”.

On March 20 this year, the Mumbai-based firm, through its consultants Pangasa Chetana Designs Private Limited, submitted the plan for “reuse of north and south ravelins”. Approving the same, the Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT) forwarded it to fort’s conservation consultants Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI) for “incorporation in final Detailed Project Report (DPR) on March 24”.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Shivdular Singh Dhillon, director, tourism & cultural affairs in Punjab, and CEO Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board and project director IDIPT, said the plan was approved. “It was during the SAD-BJP regime that property was given on lease to Mayanagri on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model and we share revenue with them. My team has approved their plan and forwarded to the Cultural Resource Conservation Initiative (CRCI) for incorporation in DPR. However, recently I was told there were some issues and that the plan is in contradiction to the conservation plan. We will review it.”

As per the plan drawings (copies with The Indian Express), the proposal is to construct three huge dome structures in northern moat and ravelin area, which will house public toilets (for at least 500 people), staff restrooms, services block, playing area for children among others.

In the southern moat and ravelin area, it proposes a luxury resort with tented accommodations, toilets, pantry, two restaurants, a swimming pool, sports facility, staff restrooms, dining areas, service block among other facilities.

Gurmeet Sangha Rai, director of CRCI and a renowned conservation expert who is also one of the consultants of the government, has written to former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, CM Captain Amarinder Singh and Punjab Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu against the proposals.

“This new construction plan for moat area would severely compromise the most significant layer of the historic fabric, which is the remnants of the ravelins (archaeological remains of the Sikh kingdom period). Children’s play area on the ravelin and toilets for over 500 people, that too without any heritage impact assessment, is an outright compromise of the values of the site,” she told The Indian Express.

“It is a protected monument under the Punjab Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1964, and any intervention which compromises its value amounts to breach of law,” she said.

These areas are the most fragile too as they are all in bricks and earth. “Installing sewage and drainage system, digging and all sorts of intervention will damage the original monument. Generals from the army of Napoleon Bonaparte were appointed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to modernize the Sikh army and they added several French features to the fort,” she said.

The government is funding fort’s conservation through a loan taken from Asian Development Bank.

Dr Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI (Chandigarh circle) said, “As per ASI guidelines, construction is not allowed even in fort’s vicinity. Such changes in fort premises is a blatant violation of ASI guidelines. Jaisalmer Fort is an example. It is crumbling with time due to drainage issues and unauthorized constructions.”

When contacted, Sidhu said, “20-30% of the original look of the fort has already been lost due to negligence of SAD-BJP government. It has been painted pink, which it never was originally. We will do our best to save the rest. Our consultants have prepared a plan for hotel or luxury stay, but nothing is final yet. The CM will take the final decision. We will do what is suitable for tourism and the fort,” he said.

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