At Delhi zoo, a crumbling tomb is waiting to kill

NEW DELHI: Almost a year after a man was killed by a white tiger after he fell into its enclosure, another tragedy seems to be waiting to happen at the National Zoological Park. No, it is not about an unsafe enclosure this time, rather a medieval tomb that can collapse any moment.
The tomb is close to a black bear enclosure on a raised ground near a waterbody.While zoo authorities have installed a signboard telling visitors to keep out. It has been done in a seemingly perfunctory manner. This sole board has been placed in a corner less frequented by people, and there are no railings or barriers which ideally should have been there considering it’s a crumbling building. And since there are no guards either, it’s not difficult to imagine the kind of hazard this building poses.
It draws photo freaks who, oblivious to the crumbling blocks, stroll inside it. “Visitors enjoy the waterbody, birds and the fountain and relax under the dome. But this portion of the structure has no warning signs installed,” said Ankur Deep, a student.
Though little is known about the tomb, historians say it was an early Mughal-era structure, one of the many that can be found in the area. It is not a listed monument, and decades of neglect have led its ornamentation and geometric patterns to wither away completely. The masonry of the dome is exposed, with creepers trailing all over it. Many stones on the edges seem to rest loosely, ready to fall on anyone standing underneath.
“We have installed a signage. We took it upon ourselves to put it and alert the visitors. What else can we do,” said the director of the zoo, Amit Agnihotri.
Meanwhile, zoo officials do not have any idea about the tomb’s heritage status. There is no signboard detailing its historical significance. According to the Archaeological Survey of India, only Kos Minar on the zoo premises falls within its purview. The department of archaeology under the Delhi government also expressed ignorance and said the tomb was not under their jurisdiction.
The area of Purana Qila-Sunder Nursery, Millennium Park and Humayun’s Tomb was recently recognized as an archaeological park by the Delhi Development Authority under the aegis of Dinpanah Archaeological Park. The newly-recognized historical status has helped to raise the demand for protection of the many monuments that dot the area.