The restoration work of 400-year-old Sher Shah Gate (lal Darwaza) opposite Delhi zoo — started a year back — is yet to be completed as the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is unable to find labourers to carry out the job.
IN Jha, a senior official of ASI said, “The construction will be restarted again once we get labourers. The construction and renovation of monuments is a different concept. The fitting and arrangements of stones are needed to be understood first.”
All told, the iron scaffolding erected for the maintenance has become a cause of concern as frequent visitors and locals have been complaining about people being injured while trying to gain entry into the monument.
Khafeel Ahmed, a property dealer who resides in Chadni Chowk, is a frequent visitor to the mosque next to Sher Shah Gate. “This oldest gate should be protected by the ASI. Despite having all the construction material for the renovation like red stones and concrete material and bricks, the ASI is not taking any action”, said Ahmed.
Sher Shah Gate is located at the Matura Road near Old Fort complex.
Every Friday, devotees come to offer namaz in the mosque alongside this gate but there is not a single public utility system in place, said sources. The authorities should have provision for vazu (ablution) but nothing of the sort is there, said Ahmed one of the regular Friday visitor to this historical monument.
“The construction material has occupied most of the space. Historians and researchers across the nation come here to study the constructions of the Mughal era,” said Ahmed.
Emma Cyrus, a student from Belgium who had come to see the monument, said, “We consider these site visits important to understand the material and archeology of the monuments. But here, the situation is not up to the mark. I am scared to visit the gate as precariously placed iron bars hamper the entry.”