Over Rs 30 million approved for conservation of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor's houses in northwest Pakistan

The historic buildings of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, which have already been declared national heritage by the Pakistan government, are in a dilapidated condition.

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government on Wednesday approved Rs 33.8 million for the restoration and conservation of historic buildings belonging to Indian film legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor in Peshawar.

The allocation was approved in a meeting chaired by provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Advisor for Tourism and Archaeology Zahid Khan Shinwari. The meeting approved key projects for heritage preservation and tourism promotion in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province under the World Bank’s KITE programme.

The historic buildings of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, which have already been declared national heritage by the Pakistan government, are in a dilapidated condition. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Archaeology Department has planned to convert both structures into museums dedicated to the lives and careers of both the actors. Then-Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had declared the houses a national heritage site on July 13, 2014.

The government intends to acquire the property and transform it into a museum that will showcase Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor’s journey from Peshawar to Mumbai, including a dedicated gallery, said Archaeology Department Director Dr Abdus Samad. The declaration aims to protect the historical building from demolition and ensure its preservation as a cultural landmark.

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Other heritage preservation and tourism promotion projects approved in the meeting included the upgradation of various museums and archaeological sites in the province. Samad said the primary goal of these projects is to safeguard the province’s historical and cultural heritage while promoting heritage tourism. "This initiative will not only boost local tourism but also create new employment opportunities,” he said.

Chief Minister Gandapur said, "The cultural heritage of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa holds significance not only for Pakistan but for the entire world. Our government’s top priority is to preserve this heritage and ensure economic growth through tourism.” Work on these projects will commence shortly to provide better facilities for both domestic and international tourists.