Bhopal’s historic Kala Darwaza, near Taj-ul-Masajid and the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board office, has been defaced with a poster of the board-appointed chairman, renewing concerns about the protection and upkeep of the city’s heritage gateways.
The gate is identified as a heritage structure in Bhopal’s new draft master plan. Its condition has drawn attention because public agencies have previously spent money on restoration and conservation work, but the structure continues to face unauthorised poster-pasting and inadequate maintenance.
The Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums spent Rs 28 lakh on restoration of Bhopal’s heritage gates around 2013, with Kala Darwaza among the structures included in the work. Restoration efforts have also been undertaken by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and the state archaeology directorate.
A heritage conservation expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the defacement reflected a gap between recognising a structure as heritage and protecting it in practice. The Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board office did not respond to queries about the poster, according to the report.
The incident also raises questions about enforcement of laws governing public-facing properties. Under the Madhya Pradesh Sampatti Virupan Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1994, defacing property visible to the public without the owner’s written permission is a cognisable offence and can attract a fine of up to Rs 1,000. A Bhopal Municipal Corporation official said Section 335 of the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956, also penalises unauthorised poster-pasting on buildings and other properties.
According to local residents cited in the report, this is not the first instance of posters being nailed to the gateway by Waqf Board representatives and other politicians. The account points to a recurring enforcement problem rather than a single act of damage, although the report does not state whether a formal complaint or prosecution has been initiated in this instance.
Kala Darwaza is part of the historic architectural setting that developed as Bhopal expanded during the 19th century, particularly around Shahjehanabad. Kala Darwaza and the Taj Mahal Gate, also known as Teen Mohara Gate, formed part of the area’s architectural axis and boundary.
Historian and author Rizwanuddin Ansari said two parallel gateways once stood near what is now Royal Market. One, built with red stone and located near Thelay Wali Sadak, became known as Lal Darwaza. The darker-looking gateway came to be known as Kala Darwaza. Lal Darwaza and Imami Gate were later demolished during road construction.
The immediate issue is whether the authorities responsible for the gateway will remove the poster, assess any damage caused by nailing it to the structure and initiate action under the applicable municipal and state laws. The report does not record a response from the Waqf Board or announce any official enforcement action.
