46 Delhi monuments to get facelift ahead of 2010 Games

NEW DELHI: Forty-six monuments in the national capital are in for a Rs 25 crore-facelift ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games when thousands of foreigners are expected to visit the country.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has chalked out a three-pronged strategy to spruce up the architectural delights spread across the city before the sporting extravaganza.

"We have chalked out a special plan for Delhi's monuments ahead of Commonwealth Games. First, we will undertake a physical conservation plan under which all leakages, repairs and cracks will be taken care of," ASI Superintending Archaeologist (Delhi) K K Muhammad said.

In the second phase, chemical preservation of the monuments will be done. "All the monuments which were encroached upon by public at large and which have turned black or fungus grown in them will be washed thoroughly and a coating of Poly Vinyl Acatate will be done," Muhammed said.

Also, the gardens of these monuments will be spruced up so that the historical structures could be turned for social gathering places, he said.

The ASI has also decided to illuminate all monuments in the city. Sabz Burj, located near Humayun's Tomb, has already been illuminated, he said adding, work is going on at full pace at the monuments such as Purana Qila and Safdarjung Tomb.

Efforts are also on to provide other basic amenities near the monuments to the tourists who will flock the city for the CWG.

"We are working to make toilets of international standards, provide pure and safe drinking water besides accessible tourism for the handicap. In two years time we will try to make the things as good as possible, Muhammed said.