Renovation work begins at Sonar Fort

JAISALMER: Renovation work has started at Sonar Fort where parts of boundary wall had collapsed in heavy rain in August last year. About 15 labourers have been engaged in the reconstruction of the collapsed wall. Renovation work has also started at two other places in the fort.
TOI had reported the apathy towards the oldest living fort in its edition dated January 16, 2012.The report caught the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who sought a report from Union culture minister Selja. The minister later held a meeting at the secretariat in Jaipur for the protection and conservation of the fort.
The Archaeological Survey of India, Jaipur, had sent a proposal worth Rs 91 lakh for reparing the wall to New Delhi but to no avail. However, approval has not been received from ASI to change the sewerage line that was to be started by RUIDP. Now, recently the department has issued a new notice asking IIT New Delhi and Kharagpur experts to give a new report in regard to sewerage, after which the approval will be given. ASI has also given directions that those people who have made houses illegally, will not be given connection in the new sewerage line.
Seilja has sent Gautam Sengupta, director general, ASI to oversee the work. He will attend meetings on February 3 and 4 where national and foreign experts will take part. Some prominent names include Mark Baber from World Watch Monument, New York, senior geo technical consultant from Canada Dr John Hughes, senior architect Sameer Deqmonte, Drona's Shikha Jain, Bombay Coalbatery Urban Design and Conservation director S C Deshpandey, World Watch Monument India representative Amita Baig, ASI director (conservation) Jahanavi Sharma and National Culture Fund's Yamini Moboy. Besides, technical experts from IIT-Madras and IIT-Hyderabad are expected to participate.
Bombay Coalbatery Urban Design and Conservation has been given the work of stablisation of the fort by ASI. The fourth and final phase of checking the tumult in the hill has been started from February 1. Using modern machines, Inclimeter, has been put at 9 borewells to note the reading. Later, the data will be sent to London for study. Till now Inclimeters have been put in borewells in the hill at three different times and the data has been sent to London for study. Based on the reports, the three faults of earthquake and tumult will be found.