India looks to Aga Khan Trust for Culture for Red Fort Restoration as it commends renewal work at Humayun’s Tomb

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture wants the Red Fort as well as its surroundings to be developed.

They emphasised the need to integrate the Red Fort with Shahjahanabad. It said information and images of the entire Walled City area have been made into a dossier and despatched by the Ministry of Culture to UNESCO so that Delhi can get the tag of world heritage city.

The Committee has expressed concern over the lack of steps in improving the visibility of several important museums in the Red Fort. It said these buildings — the Freedom Fighter’s Museum, the Indian War Memorial Museum and the Archaeological Museum — preserve important historical antiquities.

It appreciated the work done by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture for carrying out renovation work at Humayun’s Tomb, a testament to the brilliant architectural splendour of the Mughal period.

“In view of the importance of the monument, United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation also included the Humayun’s Tomb in the list of world heritage site in 1993. Despite this, the Committee found in one of its visits that the monument was in a bad shape and its upkeep woefully inadequate. Water seeped through the roof and the blue Persian tiles were covered in dirt and grime. The once resplendent Mughal Gardens were overrun by dense overgrowth of wild grass and weeds. At many places, AKTC and ASI were found doing renovation work there.

– Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture

“We are buoyed by this report. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture has been evincing interest in the work being done by us. We hope to continue this effort with the government. Right now, we are working on a number of monuments around the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti area.”

– AKTC project director Ratish Nanda, reacting to this report

Read more via Government to restore Red Fort’s grandeur

Learn more about the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s Urban Renewal Initiative in India – Humayu’s Tomb – Sundar Nursery – Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti