Lodhi-era Gol Gumbad to get facelift as cultural hub

Gol Gumbad, a Lodhi-era monument on the namesake road, will get a facelift as plans are afoot to transform it into a cultural centre ahead of the G20 summit to be held in September, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

- Sadia Akhtar

 

Repair works at the tomb by the Delhi government’s department of archaeology, under whose jurisdiction the structure falls, are underway, the officials said.

The monument is located on the intersection of Lodhi Road and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. It last saw repairs in 2010 in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.

On Tuesday, when HT visited the spot, workers were carrying out repairs on the dome and plastering the exteriors of the tomb’s walls. Around 40 workers are engaged in conservation and repair activities at the monument.

“The conservation process is time-taking and entails multiple steps. The tomb’s plaster is peeling off and tearing apart. We started work by removing the damaged plaster layering. Gaps and cracks were filled and strengthening was carried out. We are currently undertaking repairs in some sections while lime surkhi plaster is being done on sections where repairs have been carried out already,” said the contractor working on the project, who did not wish to be named.