Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh today said preservation and restoration of Mubarak Mandi complex, one of the major architectural heritage landmarks of Jammu and Kashmir, needed a revamp through administrative change.
He said the slow pace of development of the historical monument in Jammu was a cause for concern as nearly a decade had passed since the renovation work had started on it, but with little success.
“I am personally concerned over early restoration and preservation of the architectural heritage landmark. There is an immediate need for an administrative change to look into its affairs so that the development work can be geared up,” said the Deputy Chief Minister.
He said landscaping of the area had already been completed so that tourists visiting the site could have easy and free access to the venue. He admitted that the slow pace of progress on its restoration was a major cause of concern and should be taken up immediately.
The Deputy Chief Minister said an important segment of the work of preservation and restoration assigned to the Archaeological Survey of India was going on at a sluggish pace, which had given little results over a period of time.
“Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, on a visit to Mubarak Mandi, had expressed concern over slow progress of restoration and impressed upon the administrative machinery involved in its preservation to be on the fast track,” said Nirmal Singh.
The historic Mubarak Mandi complex was a part of heritage of Jammu and Kashmir and should be restored to its glory to promote tourism like other destinations in Jammu, including Vaishno Devi, Mehbooba had said during her visit.
The Deputy Chief Minister said besides roping in more agencies for timely completion, it would include restructuring of the existing autonomous Mubarak Mandi Jammu Heritage Society (MMJHS).
It was entrusted the task of initiating necessary measures for the preservation of Mubarak Mandi complex and restoring it to its original grandeur.
The MMJHS, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1998, was established in 2006 with the main objective to initiate necessary measures for the preservation of Mubarak Mandi heritage complex and restoring it to its original grandeur.
Gulchain Singh Charak, Minister for R&B in 2006, headed the autonomous body, with then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as its ex-officio member.
The restoration work got caught in a controversy when MMJHS members alleged that the Archaeological Survey of India and the state government had ignored their inclusion in decision-making matters.
“The cost assessment for restoration of 25 projects was Rs 250 crore, which had to be given in instalments to the state government in a phased manner after acquiring utilisation certificates of work completed,” said Lalit Magotra, member, MMJHS.
“The members of the heritage society were never taken into consideration for its proper utilisation, which left the society defunct,” he said. He said he would quit the society soon as he felt that its membership was a compulsion thrust upon him.
Need to initiate steps to restore Mubarak Mandi : Nirmal Singh
