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July 17, 2000 |
INDIA TODAY | DAILY NEWS | ASTROLOGY | HOME |
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 Facelift Time There's hope for India's crumbling monuments. The corporate sector is expressing interest in the preservation of the country's important heritage sites. "We want Delhi to have a beautiful night skyline," says Ravi Bhoothalingam of Oberoi Hotels, "especially since most tourists arrive at night." The Oberoi has pledged Rs 25 lakh to illuminate Humayun's Tomb, restore the garden's waterworks and repair its walkways. It will even pay for the electricity for the next five years. So whats in it for the hoteliers? Besides a 100 per cent tax rebate on expenditure on the adopted sites. "Surprisingly, nothing," insists Priya Paul, president, The Park, who's angling to beautify the 200-year-old observatory, Jantar Mantar, situated bang opposite the hotel. "We plan to build museums and libraries to make the monument visitor friendly," says Paul. Other more ambitious monument makeovers include a virtual reality simulated walk in the past. The National Culture Fund (NCF), set up to promote private sector participation, and the ASI are, however, riddled with permission hassles and red tape at every step. "Let's hope at some stage we manage to recreate the atmosphere of a forgotten era," says Humera Ahmed of the NCF. Paul remains skeptical. "Let's see when the project actually gets off the ground," she says. We hope it's real quick. -Leher Kala |
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