LAHORE, June 20: The Punjab Archeology Department is fixing red sand stones in the courtyard of the historic Badshahi Mosque despite the fact the stones lack water absorption and develop depressions due to water accumulation by the time. The department will spend Rs36.44 million on the renovation of the 45 per cent of the courtyard.

Archeology Department officials say the mosque’s original flooring in the 16th century was of bricks. The original floor is still intact. In the 60s when the bricks were found decaying, the layers of red sand stone were put on the original flooring for renovation. Red sand stones were fixed on the original floor just to create harmony between the minarets and the prayer chamber of the mosque as they are also made of red sand stones.

The Mughals, however, preferred bricks over red stones for flooring because they were environmental friendly and did not decay by water accumulation.

Red sand stones get too hot in summer and one cannot walk barefoot on it.

Officials said red sand stones were bought in the 80s for future uses and the department is using stones from the old stock.

The ongoing renovation is a three-year project which started in 2006-07 and would be concluded in 2008-09 if the department get promised funds from the Auqaf Department. So far, of Rs36.44 million, Rs3.1 million has been spent on the project, said an official from Punjab Archeology Department.

Archeology Department officials say the department had floated many proposals to avoid red sand stone. They suggested marble for the courtyard instead of red sand stone. But the proposal could not be implemented since the marble was to be imported from Italy. The second proposal was about restoring the original pattern of the courtyard but the department had plenty of red sand stones and wanted to utilise it. Officials also proposed marbled-walkways from the main entrance to the prayer chambers to save people from the hotness of the stone but the proposal was also rejected. Now, rugs have been laid from the gate to the prayer chamber. Whenever water is sprinkled on the rugs, the stones cannot absorb it.

Once the monsoon sets in, the rehabilitation and renovation work will be lost. Now, another proposal to install makeshift wooden planks from the main gate to the prayer chamber is being considered.

A Punjab Archeology Department official told Dawn that by fixing red sand stone money could be saved but the deterioration would continue. About after two decades, red sand stones will have to be replaced because of their lack of water absorption. He demanded either the department restore original flooring or fix marbles so that one could avoid repeated renovations of red sand stone.