Ranjit Thakur

Jammu, September 24

The Dogra Art Museum at the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex is being temporarily shifted to the Army headquarters building after the government sanctioned funds to facilitate renovation work.

The government has sanctioned Rs 65.38 crore under the Jammu & Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation for six projects for renovation. The work on two projects has been started while tendering and technical evaluation process is on for three projects and tendering is under process for one project.

For the conservation of the Durbar Hall, Rs 6.74 crore has been approved, whereas Rs 3.37 crore for Dogra Museum, Rs 13.23 crore for Raja Ram Singh Palace, Rs 14.81 crore for the conservation of Mahal of Raja Ram Queens, Rs 14.73 crore for Raja Amar Singh Palace and for the redevelopment of central court yard, Rs 13.71 crore has been approved.

Assistant Director, Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Dr Sangeeta Sharma said, “Though we gave anti-termite treatment every year for preserving the historical items of Dogra rulers such as textiles, arms, world famous Basoli paintings and portraits of rulers, the building needed an immediate repair and preservation.”

“We have already started the process of shifting to the Army headquarters. The entire museum will be shifted to the Army headquarters in the next few weeks,” she added.

“We have also urged the departments concerned to provide security as we have been facing a shortage of staff,” she added.

The renovation work at the historic Mubarak Mandi Complex, the royal residence of erstwhile Dogra rulers in Jammu and Kashmir, continues at snail’s pace as only 5 per cent amount out of the estimated cost of Rs 298.86 crore has been spent on the project during the past 11 years.