PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved the release of Rs 20.4 million to purchase the ancestral houses of legendary Bollywood actors Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan formally approved the proposal, allowing the authorities concerned to purchase the ancestral houses situated in the Khudadad Mohallah of Qissa Khwani Bazaar.
Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar Muhammad Ali Asghar has fixed the price of Dilip Kumar’s four marla (101 square metre) house for Rs8 million while that of Raj Kapoor’s six marla house (151.75 square metre) for Rs10.5 million.
The provincial government will turn the family houses of Bollywood legends Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar into a museum.
The move was made by the Peshawar district administration and the provincial archaeology department after the owners decided to demolish the historical buildings.
After the Partition in 1947, the Kapoor family members left Pakistan and moved to India. Since then, the ownership of the large house has been shifted several times. A few years back, the top floor of this enormous five-story haveli collapsed. But somehow 60 rooms survived and are now in good condition.
On the other hand, the provincial government has decided to restore the building of Victorian Memorial Hall to its original form under its Revival of Peshawar Project. In the past, the renovation and maintenance work greatly changed the original shape of the iconic building.
Director Archeology Dr Abdul Sumad talking to the media said, “With the help of World Bank a design is being finalized to preserve it in its original shape. The building itself is a landmark structure with historic significance not to mention the world-class treasures inside it, he added.
