BHOPAL: It has been 629 days since one-fourth of the historic Moti Mahal collapsed. However, there are yet no signs of any restoration activity. Protected by the state archeology, the 150-year-old structure is remarkable witness of women rulers and the power they had in Central India.
On a monsoon day in August 2020, front portion of Moti Mahal caved in. Looking at the debris, it feels like the collapse took place very recently — ceiling of two floors down, and the two top floors somehow standing tall, fighting for time and ready to face another monsoon.
The four-storey heritage is the best vantage point overlooking the millennia old Upper Lake. So much was the appreciation for the one of the first administrative buildings of Begam rulers of Bhopal, that officials from MP tourism, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (BSCDCL) and MP department of archeology took active part in a proposal put forth in 2019. It was to create a roof top restaurant. By the arrival of next monsoon, the heritage, caved in.
The danger from no intervention is larger than understood. “Old structures are commonly connected with wooden rafters. If immediate measures are not taken, any more collapses could have a domino effect on other buildings,” said nationally renowned heritage conservationist, Pooja Saxena. She was lead INTACH researcher for listing of Bhopal’s heritage sites.
On Sunday, when contacted, BMC, MP tourism and BSCDCL senior representatives distanced themselves for the responsibility of heritage restoration.
Bhopal smart city, invested almost Rs five crore in restoration of Sadar Manzil. An interconnected structure of buildings of the royal quadrant in the heart of Bhopal. Gauhar Mahal restored by Madhya Pradesh Hastashilp Vikas Nigam limited, is an example of adaptive reuse of heritage. On paper, Maaji Ki Haveli has been restored but remains unused. Sadar Manzil restored by BSCDCL, is out of bounds for public. “Those in film production find the access into Sadar Manzil, but not general public,” said a Sudhir, a local resident.
“Over 500 bags of cement have been left by BSCDCL within the collapsed section of Moti Mahal. An illegal car-wash facility has been created over the debris. A little look inside the structure, reveals a godown for street vendors too. All at owners’ risk,” he added.
