E-Paper
Hussainabad’s iconic gates poised for revival
Lucknow's Hussainabad gates will be restored by INTACH, addressing structural issues and preserving their heritage under the Smart City project.
Prefer HTon Google
The iconic Hussainabad gates here are set for a revamp. Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has entrusted Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) with the responsibility, officials said.
The gates, a prominent feature of Lucknow, had been showing signs of serious structural distress for several years, with plaster erosion, decay and water seepage raising concerns over their safety and long-term preservation.
This past monsoon, photographs showing a chunk of the ceiling collapsing prompted renewed calls for urgent restoration. The images, taken by Hussainabad resident Nawab Masood Abdullah, were shared among heritage groups and with senior officials, drawing attention to the deteriorating condition of the structure.
“Last year, I and Wajahat Habibullah wrote to then Lucknow divisional commissioner Roshan Jacob about the risk posed to both the monument and public safety,” said Adity Chakravarty, a member of Lucknow-based heritage group Citizens of Lucknow.
The issue also received media attention, with Hindustan Times reporting on the condition of the gates and the need for their immediate conservation. Within days of the report, the administration announced that funds would be sanctioned under the Smart City project for restoration of the structure.
LDA’s decision to rope in INTACH is being seen as the implementation of those assurances. Officials said INTACH would carry out the restoration in accordance with established conservation norms, focusing on structural stability, repairs using traditional materials, and preservation of the original architectural character.
“A work order has been issued. Funds will be released soon after the work begins,” LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar said. However, LDA is yet to disclose the amount set aside or a timeline for completion of the project.
Heritage activists welcomed the development, and stated that the Husainabad gates were an integral part of Lucknow’s historic urban fabric, but also asked ASI to oversee the work as it required expertise. “The issue of preserving the Husainabad gates has also been raised earlier through a public interest litigation, following which the high court issued directions to review their inclusion within the protected monument limits. While INTACH has been entrusted with the work under the Smart City project, the Archaeological Survey of India must ensure conservation standards,” said advocate and heritage enthusiast Mohammad Haider.
Meanwhile, INTACH said it’d attempt to restore the structures to their original form. “We first conduct a scientific analysis and study archival records and other documents to understand all details related to a monument or structure. After obtaining all the information available to us, we try to replicate the same materials and methods as used in those days,” said Dr Neetu Agarwal, the convener of INTACH-Lucknow Chapter
Dharmendra Misra, the director of INTACH Conservation Institute, Lucknow, said, “Our team has already begun the preliminary work. We have cleared the debris and prepared the site plans and maps.”
On January 17, an onsite discussion was held among historians, conservators, heritage enthusiasts and archaeologists to obtain any insight about archival records and references pertaining to the Husainabad gates. The meeting was attended by Roshan Taqui, PC Sarkar, AK Srivastava, Aftab Hussain (superintending archaeologist, ASI, Lucknow), Renu Dwivedi (director, UP State Archaeology) and others.
