LG Sinha Visits Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex, Inspects Damage to 200-Year-Old Gadadhar Temple; Chief Secretary Says Repair Work Underway

BuzzBytes News Desk
Jammu, Jun 08: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday visited the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex in the old city here and inspected the damage caused to an ancient temple in its close vicinity, reviewing ongoing restoration and conservation works at the heritage complex and the nearly 200-year-old Gadadhar temple.
Accompanied by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, the Lt Governor reviewed the ongoing restoration and conservation works. A portion of the wall of the Gadadhar temple collapsed outside the Mubarak Mandi heritage complex on June 4 following rain, triggering concerns among locals who blamed the ongoing excavation and restoration work near the shrine for the collapse. The temple, dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi, was constructed during the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh in the mid-19th century and is managed by the Dharmarth Trust.
Talking to reporters, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo said renovation of 11 buildings at the heritage complex is underway, with nine to 10 projects expected to be completed by March 2027. “Since there was a pressing need for parking in the area, a parking facility is being constructed by Smart City Limited. During the course of this work, a slab adjoining the temple collapsed. Repair work has already begun and is progressing, and it is expected to be completed within a few days. The effort of Smart City Limited is to create a parking facility with space for at least 200 vehicles,” Dulloo said.
The Chief Secretary said around nine or ten of the ongoing projects have achieved approximately 80 to 90 per cent completion and are expected to be completed by March 2027. In addition, there are plans to take up five new projects, including the development of facilities such as a laser show, light-and-sound show, and other visitor amenities. On the delay in completion of the project, Dulloo attributed it to inadequate funding in the past, saying the pace of work had accelerated over the last four to five years after funds started becoming available. He noted that some restoration work was carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India authorities while the Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society has also undertaken a number of projects.
Highlighting the progress made so far, Dulloo said several facilities, including a restaurant, cafe and library, have been developed as part of the restoration project, and assured that further conservation and renovation works would be taken up wherever necessary. Mubarak Mandi, located in the heart of the old walled city overlooking the Tawi river, was the royal residence of the Dogra dynasty rulers till 1925. Declared a protected monument in 2005, the first vision document for its conservation was prepared by INTACH in 2008, and a comprehensive master plan was later prepared and approved in 2019. Under this master plan, an amount of ₹144.15 crore is to be spent on different sub-projects of the heritage complex.