Do not conceal fortification wall, pleads heritage experts

Aurangabad, May 11:

The smiles prevailed on the faces of the heritage-lovers, experts and historians, who underlined the need of preserving the ‘unsurfaced’ portion of fortification wall on top priority. It could be one more feather in our cap, they said.

The demolition of the Labour Colony proved to be a blessing in disguise today.

The fortification wall (situated on left side of the Rangeen Gate while heading towards the collector’s residence) got surfaced. For the heritage-lovers, the history got revealed before them as they were able to see it for the first time. The length of wall could be 300 metres or more, but provides a pleasant experience.

The historian Dr Dulari Qureshi said, “ The fortification wall belongs to 17th century. It is a part of heritage structure Kile Ark. The portion of same wall (which is a part of Collector’s Residence) could be seen extended till the Mir Adil Darwaza (which is now used as the entrance of the Government College of Arts and Science). The new find wall has beautiful arches which had got concealed due to the construction of quarters on both of its sides. this was the reason why the beautiful structure remained unseen till today.”

“ It is listed with the Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) as protected structure. Hence the HCC office-bearers should immediately pay a visit and recommend its preservation to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Earlier, a patch of similiar kind of fortification wall connecting Naubat Darwaza and Kala Darwaza (on VIP Road) has been preserved by the Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL). Hence the AMC should preserve the beautiful arches of the wall on the same lines. Besides, the preservation of opposite side of fortification wall connecting collector’s residence and Mir Adil Darwaza is going on. Hence the preservation of this new portion of wall should also be undertaken simultaneously,” stressed the historian.

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It will be a tourists delight

The heritage-lovers claimed that their sentiments got hurt on seeing the misuse of the wall. Its width is of 4-5 feet. The occupants had converted the arches of the wall into toilet blocks or store rooms through cement constructions at some places.

It will be a tourists delight if preserved on priority. The tourists would have one more new heritage structure after its inclusion in the existing cluster of heritage sites - Rangeen Gate, Fortification Wall (right side of gate), Mir Adil Gate and Subhedari Guest House - in future, claimed the heritage-lovers on anonymity.