LAHORE, Sept 10: The Punjab Archaeology Department is submitting a Rs108.170 million project for the conservation of Katas Raj, the second most sacred Hindu religious place after Banaras, before the provincial development working party for approval on Monday (today).

The project was announced upon the visit of BJP leader L K Advani to Katas Raj in June last year. Accompanied by his family and PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Mr Advani had laid the foundation stone of the conservation work at the temple complex.

He was the first Indian political personality to visit the Satghrrah temples complex, situated on a hill six kilometers from Choa Saidan Shah in Chakwal district.

The semi-ruined seven ancient temples on the hill belong to the 6th century Hindu Shahi period. And they are the first to be conserved after the creation of Pakistan.

Sources said on Sunday that the plan, which was likely to be approved by the PDWP, included conservation of ancient temples and other surrounding structures, construction of a VIP guest house, staff residences and a reception block. It also included fencing of the temple complex and development of its lake called Amrat Kund, the sacred pool.

Besides restoring its status as a living Hindu worship place, the government also intends to develop it as an attraction for local and foreign tourists, they said, adding the project was scheduled to be completed by 2009.

The officials said at present the temples were in a dilapidated condition and no facility was available for local and foreign tourists whose flow too was limited because of the same reason.

The government hoped that after the completion of the project, the flow of Hindu pilgrims from India and other parts of the world would increase, besides attracting a large number of local and foreign tourists.

This would also lead to the development of the remote Salt Range area, providing direct and indirect jobs to its people, they said.

They said the project had been designed following a survey conducted jointly by the Punjab Archaeology Department and Indian archaeology department chief P K Punacha who had visited Pakistan for the purpose last year.

The Punjab government was providing funds for the project that would be completed jointly by its archaeology, building and housing and engineering departments.