MULTAN: The Punjab Archaeology Department will open tenders on Aug 27 at Lahore for repair of two boundary walls of the 680-year-old mausoleum of Hazrat Shah Rukn-i-Alam in Multan which were damaged by water penetration from two ablution points.

The eastern wall of the pre-Mughal era monument has subsided with cracks and the northern wall that rests on the edge of the city's highest mound has tilted by over two inches towards north.

The ablution points, one built in 2010 and the other in 2012, were closed after the archaeology department witnessed the damage and sought funding from the Auqaf department for repair.

The Auqaf Department has already released a sum of Rs1 million for the Rs1.5m scheme and remaining Rs500,000 would be provided when needed, an archaeology department official told the APP.

The mausoleum can safely be dubbed as the symbol of Multan and was declared one of the best conserved monuments in the country following its conservation at a cost of Rs2.9m in 1977. The 38-foot long portion of the eastern or front wall would have to be rebuilt from its foundations which might be 30 feet deep, the official said.

The other wall running westward from the north-east corner is on the edge of an almost steep slope and officials believe its five bastions has saved it from a possible collapse despite the tilt. The tilt, however, caused a long crack in the floor of the mosque inside the mausoleum.

Heavy rains can cause more water seepage and may also damage the 100-foot portion of the eastern wall that was recently conserved at a cost of Rs2.7m, the archaeology official said.

The archaeology officials have suggested a four-inch thick reinforced cement concrete (RCC) raft on the 2,000 square feet damaged flour that would support the northern wall to prevent chances of further tilt. Work would begin after Aug 27 tenders opening and subsequent issuance of work order and release of funds.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2014