UP govt to help retired postmaster build 'mini' Taj Mahal

An 80-year-old retired postmaster, who had exhausted all his savings in building a 'mini' Taj Mahal in Bulandshahr in the memory of his late wife, has got financial aid from the Uttar Pradesh government in constructing the mausoleum, in which he wishes to be buried beside his woman.

An 80-year-old retired postmaster, who had exhausted all his savings in building a "mini" Taj Mahal in Bulandshahr in the memory of his late wife, has got financial aid from the Uttar Pradesh government in constructing the mausoleum, in which he wishes to be buried beside his woman.

Faizul Hasan Quadri, a retired government official in a village in Bulandshahr of Uttar Pradesh is building a scaled-down replica of the historic Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Tajammuli Begum. Quadri has sold a piece of his farmland, his wife's jewellery and used up his life's savings to meet the spiralling cost of construction. (HT Photo/Burhaan Kinu)

Faizul Hasan Qadri took up the task of constructing a replica of the 17th century monument in 2011, when his wife died of throat cancer. The retired postmaster put all his savings into erecting the monument in his Kaser Kalan village.

"Due to the paucity of funds, the work was stopped last year," Qadri said.

After recent reports that Qadri had exhausted all his savings at the last stage of completion of the monument, the state government has stepped in.

Qadri said that he has spent Rs 14 lakh on the building, including provident fund and gratuity.

District magistrate B Chandrakala confirmed that she called Qadri at chief minister Akhilseh Yadav's behest to know about his project.

"Soon, a meeting of the octogenarian with the chief minister will be arranged," the district magistrate said.