Rajasthan: Heritage Wall 'Parkota' Losing Elegance Due to Excessive Encroachment

The parkota passes through Amber, Hawa Mahal west, Hawa Mahal east, Moti Doongri and Civil Lines zones in the walled city. Lately, a two-storey building has been built on the historical ramparts, deteriorating the condition of the world heritage site. Additionally, Box-like tall buildings have also been constructed on the verandahs, reflecting the status of the wall.

Jaipur: Parkota, a heritage wall in Jaipur that got global recognition on July 6, 2019, from UNESCO is losing its beauty and charm due to rigorous encroachment being carried out on its premises, sources have said.

The parkota passes through Amber, Hawa Mahal West, Hawa Mahal East, Moti Doongri, and Civil Lines zones in the walled city. As per reports, encroachers have been tarnishing the beauty of the wall by constructing buildings and living near it.

The heritage of this historical city is getting buried under newly built buildings. The world-famous walls and towers are dying in the chaos of haphazard construction. The historical wall is visible for a certain distance from Suraj Pol, and the eastern gate of Jaipur towards Ramganj.

In Heida's Mori, a two-storey building has been built on the historical ramparts, making the ancient tower look distressed. The situation in Ramganj is the worst with new buildings being built on old verandahs.

Box-like tall buildings on the verandahs not only reflect the status of encroachment here but also ring alarm bells. Beyond this, the Ghatgate gate certainly stands proud of its height, but the ramparts on either side of it have become victims of encroachment.

The mokhis from which enemies were tracked has become a site of excessive encroachment. Resident Jitendra Singh Shekhawat said that in 2015, the Supreme Court had stayed anti-encroachment and demolition drive to remove around 1,900 structures in the radius of five metres from the parkota.

In 2021, a drone survey was conducted by the administration, in which pictures of about 3,100 encroachments were revealed. Notices were also given to them by dividing these structures on the basis of their impact- mild, moderate and serious.

This step yielded no results as allegations of the local administration not paying any attention towards saving the fort came into light. Shekhawat said that the lime and plaster applied on the heritage site renovation falls off every year.

"Earlier the wall was made from lime prepared using the Rahat method. Now the bricks are ground and mixed with mortar, due to which the walls are in a poor condition."

Bharat Sharma, patron of the Save Heritage Committee, said that the city which was called the 'Paris of India' and owned the world heritage site of Parkota has now lost its glamour due to sheer negligence.

Meanwhile, fear looms high that the medal received from UNESCO might be snatched away due to this deteriorating condition of the heritage site. "If the old glory of the fort is to be returned, it must be preserved on priority," Sharma asserted.