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LAHORE, Aug 18: Partial restoration of the historic pictured wall, royal kitchen and the Akbari gate of the Lahore Fort may not be completed within the stipulated time.
The Punjab Archaeology Department, in collaboration with Unesco, had launched the programme in February this year at a cost of $550,000 which was scheduled to be completed by December next.
Unesco has reportedly secured the funds from the Norwegian government.
Official sources told Dawn on Thursday that it was launched without the appointment of a project director. Unesco had advertised the post some three months ago, but could not hire the project director as yet, they said.
It is also learnt that the officials concerned had started documentation of the project, but suspended the cleaning work owing to monsoon.
Under the programme, the partial restoration of the pictured wall and stabilization of the roof of the Akbari gate will be done while scaffoldings will also be erected to protect the damaged part of the royal kitchen.
The most neglected and dilapidated portion of the fort is the area of royal kitchen. It was the supply centre of food for the entire imperial feasts and cavalcades during the Mughal reign.
During the Sikh period, it was also used as food storage. However, in the British period the whole area was converted into a prison which remained in use till 1985. It remained neglected since then.
A major part of the royal kitchen collapsed in 1996 due to seepage of rain water.
PICTURED WALL: The exterior of the fort wall in the north and northwest presents a series of tile mosaic panels which are amongst the most exquisite in the world.
Combined with a variety of designs, work on the pictured wall was started by Jehangir and completed by Shah Jehan in 1631-32 AD.
The wall which is nearly 450 metres in length and 17 metres in height has been adorned with panels of tile mosaics and fresco paintings.
The fresco paintings are carried out in the arched recesses, while the spandrels are tastefully decorated with tile mosaics.
These tiles depict men, fairies with wings, elephants, lions, dragons, scenes of animal fight, of men playing polo and other games.
The human figures on the wall depict various styles of dresses in vogue at that time from royalty down to servants.
Only a few such depictions can be witnessed as most of them have been eroded with the passage of time.
AKBARI GATE: The Akbari gate was built during the period of Akbar. It is a massive structure laid between two heavy semi-octagonal bastions. Its last restoration was carried out in 1932-34.
