Ahmedabad darwazas to regain imperial charm

AHMEDABAD: It served as a royal entrance to the garden where Sultan Ahmed Shah had imperial pastime. Barely noticed in the hustle and bustle of a modern city, Khanpur Darwaza is still an important landmark and the centre of 20th century hospitality hub, though it definitely has lost much of its splendor. However, it is set to regain its lost glory.
The Heritage Cell of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has chalked out a strategy to spruce up such architectural marvels in the Walled City that are not protected by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
"The proposal has been accepted by the standing committee and work will start early next year. We will first undertake a physical conservation plan under which all leakages and cracks will be taken care of," a senior Heritage Cell official told TOI.
The beautification drive will start from Khanpur Darwaza. The officials said that severe heat could have widened cracks that were already present in the structure. The darwaza will also get a new roof which is presently crumbling due to decaying stones and bricks.
In the second phase, chemical preservation will be done. "Darwazas that have turned black will be washed thoroughly and a chemical treatment will be done," he added.
After Khanpur gate, it will be the turn of Khan-a-Jahan Darwaza in Jamalpur. The darwaza served as an emergency exit in the Gujarat Sultanate. In 2010, AMC restored Jamalpur Darwaza that was an exit point to Vadodara and other cities in those times.
Asked about a similar drive for other darwazas, the official said: "Only three ancient gates are under AMC, the rest are protected by the ASI." When contacted, a senior ASI official said that they are also planning a makeover of these ancient structures in 2015. He said that the ASI will conduct a survey of gates like Teen Darwaza, Raipur Darwaza and Kalupur Darwaza and chalk out a renovation plan.