ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: Preserved and protected for the delight and pride of the present and future generations, the portion of Sher Shah Suri’s Grand Trunk (G.T.) Road near Taxila has seen more destruction in the last three years than it did in the past.

Encroachments within the 200 feet of the protected site and dynamite blasting by stone crushers, which sent tremours weakening its foundations, are only some of the threats facing this most significant ancient ruin.

The road made of stones has been abandoned by its caretakers and is being used by pedestrians, motorcyclists and cart pushers as a thoroughfare.

The troubles began after, among other ancient sites and monuments, this historical jewel was transferred to provinces (Punjab in this case) after devolution of power three years back.

Hidden between the hillocks at the tail-end of Margalla Hills near Taxila, the 100-metre-plus stretch of the ancient road is the only surviving evidence of Sher Shah Suri’s G.T. Road. This was one of the four roads built by the Afghan ruler during his reign between 1539 and 1545 A.D. Fruit trees were planted on both sides of the road.

“The pavement was no doubt a remarkable achievement in those days,” said the literature available with the Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM).

An inscription on a stone along the portion of the road shows how the finishing touches were completed in 1675 or about that time by Aurangzeb Alamgir who marched to Hasanabdal and sent an army headed by his son Prince Sultan against the Khattak and other trans-Indus tribes.

The original portion of the Sher Shah Suri’s G.T. Road is one of the 403 sites protected under the Pakistan Antiquities Act 1975.

During a recent visit to the ancient site, some officials from the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage raised concerns on how encroachers had come so close to the original portion of the G.T. Road today. A recently-constructed house and a mosque literally block its exit point. And pedestrians and motorcyclists use it like it was any other street.

On numerous occasions, DOAM tried to convince both the federal and provincial governments to intervene and take steps to stop quarrying in the tail-end of the Margalla Hills, where stone crushers used dynamites and the tremours were weakening the foundations of the road.

Four years back, DOAM raised concern with relevant offices when the stone works at the top of the Nicholson Monument on the road came loose due to the tremours from constant use of dynamites by the stone crushers.

The department, which was the custodian of this original portion of the road before devolution in 2010, had been constantly fighting encroachers who had built stores, shops and roadside hotels at the entrance leading up to the site.

The site, according to an official in the ministry of heritage, was also being vandalised. Stone blocks had been removed from the wall along the patch and the surface of the road and earth patches started appearing.

The concerns to save the site by officials in the ministry seemed valid especially after losing court cases against the encroachers. An official in DOAM explained how in 2007-08 a sessions court had decided in favour of an encroacher backed by a member of the National Assembly.

“The encroacher has built three plazas within 200 feet of the Bhir Mound which is listed in Unesco’s World Heritage Site,” said the official.

Director Archaeology, Punjab, Saleemul Haq lamented how removing encroachments was still a major problem. “We will inspect the site again to assess how best to save the historical site,” he said.