Is ASCDCL, AMC waiting for heritage Mehmood Gate to crumble?

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Sept 25:

An air of disappointment has prevailed amongst the historians, heritage experts and alert citizens over the delay in starting the works to conserve the heritage structure - Mehmood Darwaza. They claimed that the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is the custodian of the gate, but it is taking the issue for granted by pushing the ball in the court of Aurangabad Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ASCDCL) for the last couple of months.

Mehmood Darwaza is one of the important existing heritage gates in the city, which is close to the heritage structure Panchakki. It is now in a pitiable condition and at the mercy of AMC and ASCDCL. Its stone blocks and arch have got damaged. The structure may collapse at any moment.

One month ago, the AMC administrator A K Pandey inspected the site and ordered to start the works through Smart City funds. Accordingly, ASCDCL pronounced that it will invite fresh tender and start the conservation works soon. The road was closed for traffic as well. Sadly, one month passed to the whole process, the work is yet to start. It seems to have fallen victim to red tape and had not moved beyond the stage of a tender process. Two months ago, one heavy moto vehicle

had dashed the gate. The impact was so severe that the central arch of the gate had got bent. The gate is on verge of collapse at any time, feared the residents staying in the neighbourhood.

ASCDCL assistant project manager Sneha Bakshi said, " The estimate of the Mehmood Gate is ready and all the administrative process has been completed. The tender will be published in the next week. The work will be started as soon as the tender process is completed."

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According to the historian Dr Shaikh Ramzan, the heritage gate is on verge of collapse at any moment. For the past two months, the ASCDCL administration is passing the time in preparing the estimate, seeking tender approval etc. There are only a few contractors who have expertise in the conservation of heritage structures. Hence the AMC and ASCDCL should press them and start the works on a war-footing basis so as to save the gate from crumbling."

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Adds another heritage expert Rafat Qureshi, " The AMC and ASCDCL administration are testing the patience of heritage lovers. They should immediately remove all the display of signboards reading ' I Love Aurangabad' and ' I Love Gates' when they could not respect the city's heritage. The work should be started immediately under the guidance of archaeological experts. The city is receiving heavy rainfall these days. We had already lost one gate Khooni Darwaza (in Rasheedpura) due to downpour a few years ago."