SATURDAY, MAY 04, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The Directorate of Archives and Archaeology has taken up restoration of heritage forts of Corjuem, Sanquelim and Alorna along with Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount at an estimated cost of Rs eight crore, altogether.
These touristic heritage structures, which are over 350 years old, will be restored with state-of-the-art facilities for the ease of heritage lovers.
While Alorna fort restoration is almost complete, the work of Corjuem, Sanquelim and Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, Old Goa commenced just a month back and is expected to be completed by January 2023. All the three sites are currently closed for tourist visits and will be open once restoration work is completed.
Speaking to Herald, Assistant Superintending Archeologist Dr Varad Sabnis said that “the directorate has taken up the structural restoration and beautification of the forts and chapel and in view of the same the tourists are prohibited from visiting these places now”.
The restoration of fort of Sanquelim is been done at a cost of Rs 3.2 crore and contract has been awarded to a Goa-based contractor. The restoration works here were delayed owing to issues with business operations by kiosks dotting the exterior of the fort. There were also two offices of the PWD operating from inside the fort and also office of Maharashtra Credit Society.
“All the kiosks are shifted to new municipal market. The PWD offices and credit society too have been shifted out of the fort now,” said Sabnis.
Apart from structural restoration, the fort will house a museum -- depicting history of Goa, forts of Goa and an Art Gallery. An official tri-colour hoisting post will be also developed.
“Aim is to have official flag hoisting for Sanquelim from this fort,” he said.
Basic amenities such as toilets, parking area, pathway around the fort, drinking water facility and ticket counters will be the newly added features at the Corjuem Fort, which is been restored at an cost of Rs 2.8 crore.
Sabnis said that restoration of Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount will be taken up in two phases. In the ongoing Phase I, we will take up structural part.
