Malcha Mahal, fabled 14th century hunting lodge, set to be renovated
The Delhi government is planning to put Malcha Mahal, the 14th century Tughlaq era hunting lodge in the Central Ridge, on the Capital’s tourist map after renovating the heritage structure, officials in the know of the matter have said.
Malcha Mahal was once the home of self-proclaimed descendants of the Nawab of Awadh and has been lying neglected since the death of the last of the royal family in September 2017.
Hidden by the thick foliage of the Central Ridge, along Sardar Patel Marg, the over 500-year-old structure is not an ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) protected monument.
But now the hope to conserve its heritage value has been rekindled as, the officials said, as the state government’s archaeology department is making efforts to hire a consultant to prepare a detailed plan for its restoration. “A request for proposal is being prepared and it will be issued soon to hire a consultant for the restoration work of Malcha Mahal. We are planning to invite
agencies who have expertise in this field to carry out the restoration work,” the officials said, adding that if everything goes as per plan, the restoration work should begin in the next five or six months.
The officials also said most residents of the Capital are unaware about this hidden historical monument in the city, and so the government is planning to put it on the city’s tourist map by developing tourist-friendly activities there.
They, however, said the plan is in its very nascent stage and it will be too early to predict what sort of facilities or activities will be planned there for tourism purposes.