7 yrs on, new SPS Museum building still incomplete

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 17

There is no official confirmation on the inauguration of the Shri Pratap Singh (SPS) Museum even as the project has already missed two deadlines so far. The construction work has been going on for the last more than seven years.

The old SPS Museum was founded in 1898. However, in 2008, the foundation stone of the new building was laid and the project was handed over to the Police Housing Corporation. The project was to be completed in two years time.

The new building, with a surface area of one lakh square feet, is being built at an estimated cost of over Rs 65 crore. While Rs 30.74 crore is meant for civil works, Rs 35 crore is being utilised on the building’s interiors.

Officials in the Archives, Archeology and Museum Department said the building was ready but the interiors were yet to be completed. The new building comprises four floors.

“The building will be inaugurated soon, but there is no specific date as some construction work is still on,” said Director MS Zahid.

In October last year, then Minister of State for Culture Priya Sethi had visited the site and directed officials concerned to speed up the construction of the building.

Experts said the project was handed over an agency which was did not specialise in building museums and it led to delay.