KHYBER: The conservation of the historical Shpola Stupa here was suspended after a portion of the stone mound collapsed due to the “unauthorised” blasting at the site three weeks ago.

Officials of the directorate of archaeology and museums in Peshawar told Dawn that two projects of site conservation and development were being executed in the area simultaneously.

They said that the directorate was tasked with conserving the damaged portion of the stupa, while the communication and works department was building an approach road to the top of the mound, where the stupa stood.

The officials claimed that the C&W employees carried out unauthorised rock blasting near the ancient stupa for levelling the path for road construction that led to the collapse of the stupa’s portion, which was being conserved.

Officials say part of ancient structure collapsed due to illegal blasting

They said that the C&W employees didn’t inform the directorate about the use of explosives for the construction work, while two of the directorate officials, including an engineer and an archaeologist, were transferred from the stupa site for being negligent in performing their responsibilities.

The officials said the stupa’s conservation, which was financed by the World Bank, would resume in the next few days.

Bakht Mohammad, an official of the directorate of archaeology and museums, told Dawn that the directorate had acquired the site of the Shopla Stupa from the Khyber district administration two years ago for its repair and conservation.

He added that the repair and conservation of the ancient structure was part of the project to develop a “tourism trail” on the historic Khyber Pass under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Plan meant to promote tourism and conserving historical sites in the province, including tribal districts.

The official said the demolition of a security post that hindered the sight of the Shpola Stupa along with its reconstruction at a nearby place and establishment of an information centre were part of the project.

He said that his directorate had conducted a survey of the ancient sites in Khyber tribal district in 2015 and had so far identified 130 such sites in Landi Kotal area only.

“Our objective is to develop the Shpola Stupa, a Buddhist monument of the second century from the Kushan Rule, into a tourist spot and promote tourism in the region,” he said.

Mr Bakht said the directorate of archaeology and museums had signed a memorandum of understanding with security authorities in the Jamrud area for the repair and renovation of the Sikh era Jamrud Ford, which was made of mud.

He added that the fort would be opened to visitors after the completion of repair and renovation for which tenders had already been floated.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2024