Restoration of ‘thandi sadak’ likely to start from August
LUCKNOW: The nawabi era heritage road along river Gomti, ‘thandi sadak’, is all set for revival. Thanks to the urban development department’s ‘Samruddha Lucknow’ project, part of the Smart City Mission, this 1.72km road connecting Chhatar Manzil and Rumi Darwaza will get back its lost glory.
‘Samruddha Lucknow’ envisages restoration of heritage structures of the state capital. The urban development department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) on Tuesday to take the project forward.
Officials said work on ‘thandi sadak’ was likely to take off from August. The facelift will include illumination and construction of toilets and basic amenities to facilitate tourists. The stretch will also include a recreational space, kiosks of Awadhi cuisines, an audio-visual point to highlight its historical importance and other setups of interest.
In 2014 too, a project had been flagged off by the then government to revive ‘thandi sadak’. The chief secretary at the time, Alok Ranjan, has passed the order for restoring both Chhatar Manzil and ‘thandi sadak’.
It was said that the road provides the best view of Chhatar Manzil — a nawabi era structure that served as a palace for the nawabs and their wives. Running along the Gomti, ‘thandi sadak’ separates the palace from the river.
City historians say that the road got its name due to the pleasant cool winds that blew on it due to its proximity to river Gomti. “It used to be the most preferred hangout for the nawabs and their wives who spent their evenings there due to the pleasant, cool climate,” said historian Yogesh Praveen who has written several books about the state capital.
Praveen said the historical road’s revival would be another attraction for tourists visiting Lucknow. “This same road was used extensively by the freedom fighters during the country’s First War of Independence. It is also believed to have suffered damage during the siege,” he said.