New Delhi: After decades of neglect, this mini Qutub Minar, built in 17 century in West Delhi’s Hasthal Village in Uttam Nagar, covered in grim and illegal construction.
But now Delhi government’s archaeology department has finally decided to take it under its care.
The five storey tower, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as part of his hunting lodge, has only three storeys remaining due to decades of negligence. It is similar to the 13th century monument in South Delhi.
This Mini Qutub Minar is deemed to be Grade A in heritage value, it will be conserved under Phase IV of Delhi government’s project to protect lesser known monuments in the capital.
“Our primary focus will be to consolidate the structure because we are concerned that the foundation of the minar may have been weakened by decades of neglect,” said an official working on this project.
The neglected minar is made up of masonry cladded with red sandstone will have to be chemically treated. The department so far has no plans to reconstruct the missing portions of minaret.
Apart from treating the minaret to firm the structure, the small courtyard around the minar will be improvised.
This similar structure to Qutub Minar previously had five storeys but neglecting it for decades ended the Minar in this condition with the upper two storeys and the top most chattri assumed to have collapsed in the 18th Century said, Conservationist.