Patna : Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Aug 11 took up the challenging task of conserving Patna's 224-year-old landmark, the Golghar. Reason: multiple cracks have developed in both exterior and interior of the Golghar, a huge granary built by CaptainJohn Garstin for the British army in 1786 after the terrible famine of 1770.

"Dozens of big vertical cracks have been detected which need immediate restoration. It would be quite a challenge to us to undertake the conservation work in a closed and dark place where there is no outlet of oxygen," ASI superintending archaeologist (Patna circle) S K Manjul said.

"We will have to engage technical team with oxygen masks to carry out conservation work inside the 97-feet high dome in the absence of any flow of oxygen from outside. The entire area inside the dome is dark and suffocating," Manjul told reporters. A person cannot survive inside the dome for long hours without oxygen masks.

"We will have to protect the existing structure without any damage during the conservation work. The work must be handled with proper care. The outer conservation work of the structure would be relatively easier," he said.

The massive structure is 29 metre high and the walls are 3.6 metre wide at the base. The winding stairway around the monument offers a panoramic view of the city and the Ganga flowing nearby.

One can climb atop the Golghar, a state protected monument, by negotiating the 145 steps of its spiral stairway around it. The spiral staircase was designed to facilitate the passage of coolies who had to carry bags of grain up one flight, deliver their load through a hole at the top and descend by the other stairs.

The four small doors of the Golghar (barely six feet high) at the basement are dangerous. "We have to ban entry on the Golghar premises during the conservation work. This will be first conservation work would be undertaken from the inside since the inception of the Golghar," Manjul said.

The total estimated cost of the entire conservation work is around Rs 1.38 crore. The Bihar government has released a sum of Rs 77.59 lakh for the first phase of work. The conservation work is likely to be completed in two years.

State culture minister Renu Devi on Aug 11 launched the conservation work by applying the mortar mixed with lime, sand, surkhi and other materials, on the cracks developed on the structure of Golghar.