128-year-old Bantony Castle set to greet visitors in Shimla.

• The 128-year-old Bantony Castle complex, the summer palace of the erstwhile Maharaja of Sirmaur, is all set to be a major attraction for tourists as the restoration of the heritage property has been completed under the Rs 26-crore funded Asian Development Bank (ADB) project.
• The sprawling lawns of Bantony Castle now house two open air theatres, besides a provision for a light, sound and music show behind the main structure.
• The light and sound facility has been created to help visitors trace the history of Shimla and its strong British link.
• The main structure has been restored, which has gallery halls that can be used for setting up a museum. Walking trails will also be developed on the expansive property.
• The provision has been made to set up a cafeteria, where Himachali cuisine will be served. Public facilities like toilets and drinking water have been created for the convenience of visitors.
• As Bantony Castle likely to be inaugurated after the formation of the new government, the entire stretch right from The Ridge, Gaiety Theatre and Town Hall will become a heritage zone, which will be of immense interest of tourists.
• It was on January 4, 2016, that the government finally decided to acquire Bantony Castle, following several failed attempts over the last two decades.
• The government, with the consent of its owners, decided to acquire Bantony Castle for Rs 27.84 crore.
• The Himachal Institute of Public Administration (HIPA) prepared a social impact assessment report of the prime property before the decision on its acquisition was taken.
• The entire property spread over 19,436.83 sqm, including the main wooden structure, expansive lawns and thick deodar forests, has now been converted into a vibrant heritage zone, which will showcase Himachal’s rich culture and traditions.
• The restoration work to convert Bantony Castle into a vibrant place and promote the concept of night tourism has been executed by Kavita Jain, a conservation architect from Jaipur.
• She has the experience of similar conservation projects in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, though in different architectural styles.

Was Sirmaur Maharaja’s summer palace

• The 128-year-old Bantony Castle was the summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur. The main building is a double-storey structure constructed in the mock Tudor style, part chalet and crowned with a sloping roof with mini-towers.
• The building is said to have been designed by TEG Cooper. Before its construction began in 1880, the site had a cottage belonging to Cap A. Gordon which housed army officers.
• It had the office of the Himachal Police since 1957. It was after the owners won the legal battle that the police vacated the building.