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A dilapidated building in Rajmahal that housed the zonal railway headquarters during British rule 

Historical monuments languishing in neglect for the past six decades in Rajmahal, Sahebganj, will soon get a facelift. The state has drawn up a Rs 3-crore renovation and beautification plan to turn the erstwhile capital of united Bengal into a tourist destination.

State tourism secretary Arun Kumar Singh, who recently visited Sahebganj, said the immense tourism potential of the town had prompted the drive. He said the renovation plan would cover the Singhi Dalan, Baradwari, Maina Biwi tank, tanksal (treasury) and Kanhaiyasthan — all dating back to the Mughal period.

On May 13, a team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), accompanied by state tourism department co-ordinator Sridev Singh toured Rajmahal. Singh told The Telegraph Rs 3 crore would be spent to repair the tottering edifices.

Though the project includes all the above mentioned monuments, two most prominent Mughal creations — the tomb of Miran and Udhwa Nala — find no mention.

According to professor Yogendra Prasad Roy, the head of history department at Sahebganj College, Miran was the son of Mir Zafar, who engineered Sirajudullah's defeat and Bengal's takeover by the British after the battle in Plassey in 1757.

Miran's tomb at Mahajantoli is on the verge of extinction with encroachment being a major problem. The Udhwa Nala, where Siraj was caught while trying to flee, too needs attention. Roy said it was unfortunate that the tourism department had overlooked the two very important witnesses of history.

When asked why the tomb and the nala were missing from the renovation list, the tourism secretary said they "will most certainly be included" as will the building that currently houses the Rajmahal police station, but was the zonal railway headquarters during the Raj rule. The police station will be shifted to a new building at Naya Bazar.

Archaeological Survey of India has already started renovation work at Baradwari and also at Jama Masjid, which was built by Maan Singh, the then governor of emperor Akbar.

May 23, 2009 / Telegraph