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Second phase of Lahore Forts renovation in July |
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Written by By Hina Farooq
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Monday, 11 June 2007 |
 * First phase costing Rs 10 million to be completed next week
* Rs 40 million approved for second phase
LAHORE: The second phase of the Lahore Fort’s renovation project would start in the first week of July and continue till June 2008, Shahbaz Khan, director general of the Punjab Archaeology Department (PAD), told Daily Times on Sunday.
He said that the project’s first phase would end in a week. The first phase was started in June 2006 when the chief minister granted the PAD Rs 300 million for the project. He said that the plan for the next phase would be presented before the steering committee for approval. He said that the second phase’s Rs 40 million budget had already been approved.
PAD officials said that the fort’s dilapidated condition was adversely affecting the inflow of foreign tourists. They said that many tourists, especially those who had visited the for 10 years ago, had complained about its current condition. Officials said that many tourists had complained that many spots that were there 10 years ago had disappeared.
The officials said that the PAD was trying to restore the fort to its original condition. They said that the specialties of the time needed to be studied for the fort’s rehabilitation.
In the first phase of the Lahore Fort’s conservation project, a water protection plant had been installed on the picture wall, which was famous for its fresco designs and paintings, to avoid damage to the wall by water seepage. The steel grill near Dewan-e-Aam has also been replaced. The roof of PAD’s rest house has been repaired, which is part of the Jahangir’s Quadrangle. Other plans being completed in the project’s first phase are, the restoration of Kharak Singh’s mansion and the rehabilitation of Mogul emperor Akbar’s library. The library’s books would not be transferred. Officials said that the library would be opened for tourists after its conservation. The total money spent on the first phase of the project is Rs 10 million.
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