Pakistani authorities on Friday said the World Bank will provide funding for the conservation of the ancestral houses of Bollywood legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, located in the heart of this city and designated as national heritage sites.

"The physical work on the project is set to begin in four months with an initial budget allocation of Rs 200 million," Dr Abdus Samad, Director of Archaeology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told PTI.

"The funding will come from the World Bank’s 'Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project'," he said.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government project funded by the global lender is designed to enhance tourism infrastructure, promote cultural heritage, and support economic development in the province, officials said.

The conservation work will focus on restoring the historical sites to their original form and establishing state-of-the-art museums in both houses located in the historic Qissa Khwani bazaar.

These museums will be open to the public to raise awareness of the contributions made by Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor to the Indian film industry.

Raj Kapoor’s haveli is situated in the Dhakki Dalgaran area, while Dilip Kumar’s ancestral residence is in Mohallah Khudadad. Both properties are less than half a mile apart within Qissa Khwani bazaar.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Archaeology and Museums took possession of these ancestral homes in 2021 after their ownership was legally transferred to the provincial government.

“Both residences are now officially the properties of the Directorate of Archaeology,” said Dr Samad, emphasising that the possession process adhered to all legal requirements. The directorate also compensated the former owners, with Raj Kapoor’s haveli valued at Rs 11.5 million and Dilip Kumar’s house at Rs 7.2 million. The properties were appraised at Rs 1.5 million per marla.

Marla, a traditional unit of area used in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, is considered equal to 272.25 square feet or 25.2929 square metres.

Samad said that the directorate plans to contact family members of both legends. The restoration initiative aims to preserve Peshawar’s historical connection to Bollywood and celebrate the legacy of these cinematic icons.

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