Historic Barapulla Bridge in Delhi to be Restored by ASI in 3 Months
New Delhi, August 11: The 400-year-old Barapulla Bridge in Nizamuddin, Delhi, is set to be restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) within three months, as announced by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena. The bridge, which had fallen into disrepair and was heavily encroached upon, will soon regain its former glory.
LG Saxena shared his excitement on social media, stating, “Delighted to share, Delhi’s another heritage- 400 years old Barapulla Bridge (with 12 piers) will soon regain its lost glory.” He visited the bridge twice within a week to oversee the progress, with his first visit on August 4.
The bridge, built in 1628 by Minar Banu Agha under Emperor Jehangir, was once a beautiful structure used by the Mughals to cross the Yamuna River. However, it had become a dump yard due to encroachments and debris. Saxena directed the removal of these encroachments and the restoration of the bridge in a mission mode.
Local residents and representatives have supported the LG’s initiative. The Chief Secretary of Delhi and the Director General of ASI assured that the restoration would be completed within three months, maintaining the bridge’s originality and adding proper lighting.
Saxena praised the efforts of various agencies, including MCD, PWD, I&FC, Railways, and ASI, for their joint efforts in removing encroachments and desilting the drain under the bridge. The restoration work will begin immediately after the desilting is completed.
Under Saxena’s leadership, several historical monuments in Delhi, such as St. James’s Church and Mehrauli Archaeological Park, have been revived and restored, attracting many visitors. Other monuments like Roshanara Bagh, Shalimar Bagh, and many more are also undergoing restoration.
Doubts Revealed
Barapulla Bridge -: The Barapulla Bridge is a very old bridge in Delhi, built 400 years ago in 1628. It is located in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi.
ASI -: ASI stands for Archaeological Survey of India. It is a government organization that takes care of historical buildings and monuments in India.
Lieutenant Governor -: The Lieutenant Governor is a high-ranking official in Delhi who helps manage the city. VK Saxena is the current Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
Encroachments -: Encroachments are when people or things illegally take over space that they are not supposed to. In this case, people had taken over parts of the Barapulla Bridge area.
Restoration -: Restoration means fixing something to make it look and work like it did when it was new. The Barapulla Bridge will be repaired to look and function as it did 400 years ago.
