Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Feb 1: A portion of the historic Mughal-era Kalai, a structure nestled in downtown Srinagar, collapsed on Thursday morning while the locals alleged the negligence of the authorities, saying that despite several pleas, they failed to restore the structure.
Constructed during the reign of Emperor Akbar, this colossal wall surrounding a hill has weathered the test of time, symbolizing centuries of rich heritage.
The locals from Bachi Darwaza Makhdoom Sahab, Srinagar said that standing as a historical monument in the area, this structure suddenly collapsed in the morning, causing worry among the local populace.
Hilal Ahmad Sofi, a local from the area, said, “As we left for Fajar prayer from our house, we heard a loud sound of this historic Kalai wall portion collapsing here.”
“We visited from pillar to post to seek the restoration of this historical structure, but our voice has always been neglected. We met the officials in the Archaeology department, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, and many other officers, but nothing happened, and today morning, a portion of it, near Bachi Darwaza, collapsed,” he added.
“Till now, no immediate action was taken, resulting in the collapse of a portion of this historical structure early in the morning,” said another local.
As already reported, the officials had stated that the development work project is already underway for its restoration under the District Condition Implementation Committee, and in phase-II, work on the Kalai will be commenced, which is expected to be started in April.
