Abandoned heritage: Peshawar’s Cunningham Clock Tower crumbling due to negligence

The historical structure has not been maintained since 2003.

PESHAWAR:

The government’s negligence in maintaining historical sites in the city has left the famous Cunningham Clock Tower crumbling.

The tower, a historical structure from the colonial times, presents a picture of a haunted house, with lizards and insects all over the building.

Built in 1900 to commemorate the diamond jubilee of the Empress of India, the tower is named after Sir George Cunningham, former British governor and political agent.

The windows of the tower have been broken, while the domes and damaged tube lights and bulbs lying inside also narrate the ordeal of the historical structure.

Talking to The Express Tribune on Thursday, Javed Aktar, the president of Karampura Bazaar where the tower is located, said that the authorities have turned a blind eye towards the grand structure, due to which it its decaying constantly.

“It is a great model of architecture but it depicts a picture of a house possessed by ghosts,” he said, adding that the government only makes hollow claims about preserving culture and history. In reality it is taking no concrete steps in this direction, he added.

In 2003, the tower was painted by the government. However, since then, no maintenance work has been done, due to which the tower’s beauty has diminished.

Moreover, encroachments in the area are also affecting the beauty of the structure.

“The tower is in precarious condition. Its domes, tube lights and windows have been broken, while the national flag has also been torn down. The entire place is now composed of lizards and spider webs which openly speak about the neglect from authorities,” said Malik Meer Ahmed, a local resident.

He was of the opinion that historical sites served as a mark of identity for a nation and it is the government’s responsibility to preserve such places. He lamented that the clock tower Peshawar had lost its grandeur due to the governments’ neglect.

District Coordination Officer Siraj Ahmed Khan, when approached for comments, said that the government has chalked out a plan for the tower’s maintenance. He maintained that he had called a meeting with the planning and development department for this purpose. He said that the clock tower is a historical piece of architecture of the city and efforts would be made to maintain its beauty.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2011.