Mamata to inaugurate revamped Buxa Fort

MP   |  7 June 2022  |  |  Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the renovated Buxa Fort located in Alipurduar on Wednesday. 

The conservation and restoration of the fort — a state-protected historical monument — is a major stride of the state government in boosting heritage tourism. 

"In the first phase, the restoration of the prison cell, long passages, gates, boundary walls, different barracks along with its beautification works as means of archaeological conservation of Buxa Fort was taken up and has been completed and the historical monument has emerged as a major heritage tourist spot," said Surendra Kumar Meena, District Magistrate of Alipurduar. 

The fort was in ruins and over Rs 4.82 crore was allocated by the state government through the state Information and Cultural Affairs department in favour of this project. 

The Buxa Fort within the Buxa Tiger Reserve area is located at an altitude of 867 metres. 

The fort that can be called the polestar of tourism in Dooars is 30 km away from Alipurduar town. The King of Bhutan used the fort to protect a segment of the famous Silk Route connecting Tibet with India. 

Later during unrest in the occupation of Tibet, hundreds of refugees arrived at the place and used the then abandoned fort as a refuge shelter. 

At the end of the 18th century, the British Army invaded the fort at the request of the King of Koch and took it away from the Bhutanese in the second Duar War. It was used as a detention camp by the British during the Indian freedom movement. 

There is also a plan to open a museum here where different artefacts, historical documents and other items will be displayed, a senior official in the district administration said. 

 http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/mamata-to-inaugurate-revamped-buxa-fort-481167