Archaeological Body To Restore Mughal-Era Bridge In Delhi In 3 Months

The historic 400-year-old Barapulla Bridge in Delhi's Nizamuddin area will be restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) within three months, Raj Niwas officials said on Sunday.

The ASI's director general gave the assurance during a site visit by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to review the progress of the bridge restoration, they added.

This was his second visit to Barapulla Bridge in just a week, the first visit being on August 4, the officials said.

The structure had been lying decrepit, under heavy encroachment and was reduced to a dump yard of debris and garbage from the nearby localities, they said.

Saxena had directed the removal of encroachment and restoration of the bridge in a mission mode. Local residents and representatives have also supported the LG's initiative of restoring the bridge, according to the officials.

The 200-metre long bridge was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Sunday for carrying out the restoration work.

During his Sunday visit to the bridge, The LG was accompanied by Delhi chief secretary and ASI director general, the officials said.

The ASI official assured of complete restoration within three months. He also directed the agency to undertake the restoration work while maintaining the originality of the structure and install proper lighting on the bridge once the works are completed, they added.

Saxena lauded the efforts of all agencies concerned --" Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department, Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Railways and ASI, for their joint efforts to remove encroachments on and around the bridge and desilt the drain flowing under it, a Raj Niwas official said.

With concrete efforts of the agencies, the encroachments have been removed within a week and the desilting of the drain is underway, the official said.

ASI will take up the restoration work immediately after the desilting is completed, he added.

The bridge, which was built by Minar Banu Agha under Emperor Jehangir's tutelage nearly 400 years ago was named "Barapulla" due to its 12 piers and 11 arches.

According to historians, the bridge was built in 1628, and the road between the bridge and the Humayun's Tomb was a wide tree-lined path.

It was considered one of the most beautiful bridges of Delhi and it is believed that the Mughals used the bridge to cross the Yamuna River to reach Nizamuddin Dargah and Humayun's Tomb on their way from Agra, the then capital, the official said.

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