In Lucknow No traffic via Rumi Darwaza until facelift

LUCKNOW: With the enforcement of traffic diversions in Husainabad area from Wednesday, the restoration work of the historical Rumi Darwaza - the signature monument of Lucknow - by Archaeological Survey of India will pick up pace from Thursday.
The ASI, Lucknow Circle, had been working on the restoration of the imposing gateway built by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula in 1784 since August, but only a part could be done because of constant vehicular movement.
Now, with the area out of bound for traffic, the ASI can now put up scaffolding required for restoration crews to climb and cement the cracks.
Superintending Officer, ASI, Lucknow Circle, Aftab Hussain said that the restoration will be complete by June next year and thereafter conservation work of other historical monuments will be done. These monuments include miniature domes and labyrinth of Bada Imambada, Sikh Square and German Post, garden landscaping and pathway construction in the Church and Cemetery in Residency, Picture Gallery, Nadan Mahal, Amjad Ali Khan's Tomb, Ghazi-ud-din Haider's Tomb and British cemetery near Chiraiya Jheel among others, he added.
"The entire project is expected to be completed by December 2023.
The recipe of the mortar used for cementing and fixing gaps will be the same as it was used originally for construction of the monuments. The ingredients include lime, surkhi (brick powder), sand, powdered black gram (urad dal) and adhesives like belgiri juice and gum obtained from babool tree and jaggery. Besides, jute fibres will be used for bonding and strengthening," he said.
Restoration of the monuments have been a long pending demand of heritage lovers like Mohammad Haider, who tweeted, "Happy to inform you that the traffic movement from Rumi Gate has stopped. We hope that ASI will ensure a 360-degree conservation of this signature monument of Lucknow."