Funds for Jama Masjid repair: Ambika Soni

New Delhi, Aug 14: Minister for Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni today assured the Rajya Sabha that the government would not let the lack of funds come in the way of conservation and restoration of Delhi's Jama Masjid, which is one of the historical monuments of great archaeological value.

Seeking to address the concerns of SP members Shahid Siddiqui and Amir Alam Khan who had sought to draw her attention to the deteriorating condition of the masjid, the Minister said during Question Hour the ASI had sanctioned Rs 47.52 lakh for maintenance and conservation of the monument.

The Members had demanded that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) take full responsibility for the maintenance of Jama Masjid, since the state Waqf board under which it came did not have enough money.

The Minister said the Central Government had given Rs 1.18 crore so far for repair work of the monument. She told the Members that the report of the joint survey by the Imam and the ASI, done as directed by the High Court on a PIL, was ready and already Rs 10 lakh had been released so far for the work identified by the survey team.

She said the petitioners had demanded that the masjid should be fully taken over by the ASI, but her Ministry submitted to the court that the Jama Masjid was a living monument, so a complete takeover would not be proper in view of the circumstances, following which the HC ordered the joint survey.

Replying to supplementaries on other monuments in bad shape like the Ferozshah Kotla, Safdarjung Madrasa and buildings in the vicinity of Qutub Minar, the Minister said she had also inquired about the state of such monuments and the ASI should do whatever possible for them. She, however, pointed out that the subject fell under states.

Answering a question by Ms Hema Malini (BJP) about the poor state of the tomb of Razia Sultan in Delhi, Ms Soni said the government was trying to remove encroachment from around the monument.

To another question on introduction of trains on the lines of Place on Wheels' for Orissa, the Minister said so for there was no such proposal, but the Tourism Ministry was making a case for replicating the success stories in other places for Orissa too.

When Mr Rudra Narain Pany, a BJP member from Orissa, wanted to know whether 'surya puja' (sun worship) was still continuing in the famous Sun Temple of Konark, the Minister sought some time to answer the question.

UNI