14th-century lodge in city forest set to get a facelift

In a bid to conserve Malcha Mahal and boost its tourism prospects, the Delhi government’s department of archaeology has started landscaping at the 14th-century monument which has been seeped in mystery for decades and was inhabited by members of a self-proclaimed royal family from the 1980s till 2017.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok and Sadia Akhtar

 

After the death of the last member of the clan, “Prince” Ali Raza, in September 2017, plans are now afoot to open the “Mahal” to the public.

The archaeology department was granted permission from the forest and wildlife department earlier this month to fell 38 trees and prune another 150 in the monument complex inside the Central Ridge in Chanakyapuri. In lieu of the 38 trees being felled, the archaeology department will also have to carry out a compensatory plantation of 380 native species in the same area.

An official aware of the matter said that grilles will be installed in the area around the monument as part of the beautification process. “We will conserve the monument and ensure that its premises are protected. Landscaping efforts are also underway. We have pruned trees that had come up at the monument,” said the official from the archaeology department.