*Opposes proposal of hotel at heritage site
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 11: While welcoming the seriousness shown by the Government in speeding up the work of conservation of the historic Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) has demanded entry for the tourists and the citizens at this heritage site.
Talking to media-persons after a meeting of the DSS held at Dogra Bhawan today, Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak, former Minister and Sabha president said that it also needs to be ensured that the work is carried out in a transparent manner under the close supervision of the experts and monitoring by the Archaeological Survey of India, as already mandated by the Governing body of the Society. This will ensure that the conservation norms are adhered to and no aspect of the precious heritage is lost during the restoration work.
Charak recalled that the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society was created to look after the conservation and management of the heritage complex. He emphasized that Mubarak Mandi is a symbol of identity of the people of Jammu which needs to be showcased for providing inspiration to the coming generations as well as for attracting tourists. He demanded that the iconic Complex be opened to the public, during fixed hours on all days, to enable citizens and tourists to savor the grandeur of the historic complex and witness the steps being taken to restore it to its pristine glory.
He also cautioned that any move to shift the Archives from the Mubarak Mandi will be suicidal as the archives are an intrinsic part of Dogra heritage. They comprise rare and historic documents/manuscripts which are the main attraction for scholars, as well as for other tourists from across the globe.
Referring to the serious concern among the citizens about the proposal for converting part of the complex into a hotel with access from the circular road via a fly-over, Charak pointed out that both these projects violated the conservation laws. He appealed to the Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha to intervene into the matter so that the Expression of Interest for Hotel and the orders for providing it with a flyover access, are formally withdrawn.
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