Chattar Manzil’s ‘hidden storeys’ may be opened for tourists

Heritage enthusiasts and tourists can now peep into the history of the state capital as restoration agencies plan to throw open the newly discovered storeys of Chattar Manzil and Kothi Farhat Baksh for visitors.

Officials with UP Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) said opening storeys for the visitors is expected to take tourism to new heights.

“People are curious to know about the past. And the initiative would unfold another chapter before the visitors ,” said a UPRNN official.

The special team, largely comprising of experts from the structural engineering division of civil engineering department, IIT-BHU, say the restoration of the newly excavated storeys will be planned in a way to pave way for tourists.

“It will be a kind of basement tourism, wherein not only the basement but the hidden storeys of the famous heritage structure would be made open for public,” said an expert from structural engineering division of civil engineering department, IIT BHU, who recently inspected the structure.

IIT-BHU is supervising the ongoing excavation work at the twin structures—Chattar Manzil and Kothi Farhat Baksh. One of the IIT BHU experts, who also shortly inspected the more than 200year-old structure, said there is every possibility of more storeys lying buried.

Officials with the UPRNN said there is still lot more to be explored.

The excavation will be on until the base of the structure gets unearthed for maintenance and repairs.

So far, the excavators have dug around 255 feet and unearthed a grand 15x15 room beneath the earth. Along with this, they also recovered brackets, walls and pillars, buried deep into the ground.

The discovery was made around a month back when workers began to dig Chattar Manzil’s basement. Similarly they also unearthed a storey of Kothi Farhat Baksh.

It will be a kind of basement tourism, where not only the basement but the hidden storeys will be made open for public. IIT BHU EXPERT, who recently inspected the structure