Construction workers labour on a Metro Rail site in the old city area between Chhoti Chaupad and Chandpole in Jaipur (AFP photo)
As she expertly leads tourists past honking cars and rickshaws to a majestic dusty-pink palace, Sunita Sharma voices fears for Jaipur's historic landmarks as a new transport link looms large.
Authorities are building an underground metro near the Hawa Mahal or the "Palace of the Winds" in Jaipur's old city, a bustling place that blends historic charm with the allure of ancient royalty and draws millions of domestic and foreign visitors.
But archaeologists as well as tourist guides like Sharma fear the multi-million dollar project will disturb the foundations of the monuments, built in the 1700s.
"Jaipur is known worldwide by these monuments, and if any loss occurs, the grandeur and architectural heritage can never be revived," Ms Sharma told news agency AFP.
Tunnelling in the old city is also expected to start next month for the project, which authorities hail as a much-needed upgrade of infrastructure in the "Pink City", capital of the desert state of Rajasthan.
The Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC), which is spearheading the multi-year project with a loan from the Asian Development Bank and state government funding, denies the monuments are under threat from tunnelling or from eventual vibrations from the trains.
"An environmental impact assessment report was prepared a year ago which said that the vibrations created during the boring and operation of the metro would not be of a level which can harm any structure," JMRC chairman and managing director N C Goel said.
But some are not convinced, arguing it is almost impossible to guarantee centuries-old buildings will not be weakened by modern-day construction underneath.
"Today's engineers can guarantee strong foundations of a building they are constructing today, but not those of a structure which was built 200 years back," archaeologist Rima Hooja said.
One of the metro stations is set to be built at a market that lies just 100 metres from the palace.
The tunnel will pass near the neighbouring UNESCO heritage-listed Jantar Mantar site, with its giant astronomical instruments carved from sandstone.
Known as India's first planned city, Jaipur was built in 1727 on a grid system with a fort, palace and other impressive buildings.
Construction was overseen by the Maharaja ruler Sawai Jai Singh II, who had a keen interest in architecture and astronomy.
Its thick perimeter walls and imposing entrance gates drew merchants from around the country who settled in the new city to ply their trade in relative safety.
Designed in the form of the crown of the Hindu god Krishna, the five-storey palace has more than 900 small windows.
Decorated with intricate latticework, they were designed to allow ladies of the royal court to sit and observe everyday life in the street below without being seen.