TAXILA: Experts have urged the provincial government to address the issues of poor infrastructure, especially roads, paucity oftouristfacilities,lack ofproper boarding and lodging facilities, before declaring Taxila as a `heritage city.

Talking to Dawn, archaeologists, historians, art and culture promoters, tour operators and office-bearers of various nongovernmental organisations lauded the Punjab government move to declare Taxila as a heritage city, but urged the authorities to first address the basic issues.

The ancient city of Taxila has been home to different great civilisations, including Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Gandhara and empires such as the great Maurya Dynasty. Keeping in view its his-torical significance and religious importance, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced an ambitious plan to elevate Taxila into a globally renowned `City of Civilisations.` As part of this vision, she has directed the formation of the Taxila Heritage Authority and the immediate development of an operational framework.

In this connection, a few weeks ago, Senior Punjab Minister Maryam Aurangzeb visited Taxila and chaired a meeting to review the two-phase project.

The first phase of the project focuses on upgrading the city`s infrastructure and heritage while the second aims to develop Taxila into a premier international tourist city.

`It is high time that the Taxila stone art city may be made fully functional with provision of facilities and incentives for the artisans working for survival of the crum-biing the world famous Taxila stone art,` said Syed Zaheer Hussain Shah, Senior Vice President Gandhara Art Village Board of Management.He said that Taxila stone art city, a landmark initiative of the provincial government, would attract international tourists through exhibitions and live display of work.

He said the road infrastructure, especially the link road from GT Road to the museum, needs urgent attention from the concerned authorities.

He said beautification and facelift at the Taxila bypass as well as expansion of the Museum Road would have a positive impact on national as well as international tourists.

Irfan Khan, a tour operator, who arranges visits of foreigners especially from Buddhist countries, said gridlocl(s resulting in hours-long closure of the railway crossing not only creates hardship for tourists but could also be a security issue.

`When the world is considering sending citizens to the moon, why not an underpass could be built at the railway crossing which is also a gateway to northern areas,` he added.

The paucity of boarding and lodging facilities in Taxila is a major problem fortourists, said Korean archeologist Prof Dr Park Kyo Soon. There is no proper dining facility in the entire Taxila city even no tea or coffee shop near the ancient sites, especially Dharmarajika and Sirkap. She said tourists attracted to ancient sites were disappointed over the lack of proper facilities.

She said without tourist facilities, declaring Taxila as a heritage city would be a futile exercise.

Tahir Suleman, the founder president of Taxila Batahik, added that ancient sites, especially Sirkap, were in danger of extinction due to rampant urbanisation by land developers in sheer violation of the Antiquities Act.

Engineer Malick Ester, an officebearer of Gandhara Resource Centre, said infrastructure development like expansion of the road from GT Road to the museum, removal of encroachments on the Museum Road besides its beatification as well removing encroachments and establishment of art kiosks on Khanpur Road would not only attract tourists but would also help promote Taxila`s stone art.5