Residency poised for makeover
The Residency, a standing witness to the First War of Independence, is poised for restoration. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is all set to launch a drive to restore the dilapidated structure and beautify it .
ASI officials said since the Residency was a massive structure, sprawling over 33 acres of land, the drive to restore it would be launched in phases. In the first phase, the ASI has picked up the dilapidated residential complexes, flooring and epitaphs lying between Baillie Guard cottage to Dr. Fayrer’s house. “Initially we are focussing on a 300 metre stretch from Baillie Guard cottage to Dr. Fayrer’s house, ” said NK Pathak, outgoing superintending archaeologist, Lucknow Circle ASI.
Pathak said most of the structures on the selected stretch were in a bad shape and being more than 200 years old, they were literally falling apart.
The walls were losing the mortar and were covered with thick green algae whereas the flooring had pot holes and craters. Pathak said the drive aimed at strengthening the mortar, uprooting weeds, repairing the flooring and beautifying the structures. He said the project got clearance from ASI headquarters and was expected to take off from next month . The total estimated cost of the project is around R60 lakh.
In later phases, other part of the residency would also go in for a makeover. The heritage site, the foundation of which was laid by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula in 1775 to accommodate British visitors, recently underwent a makeover under former SP government.