Priority to renovate Jaffna Fort

Priyanka Kurugala

The National Heritage and Cultural Affairs Ministry has launched a program to preserve the Sri Lankan heritage of Northern and Eastern Provinces. The Ministry has given priority to renovate the Jaffna Fort under this Program, National Heritage and Cultural Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told the Daily News.

The reconstruction of the Jaffna Fort will be launched with Rs 104.5 million granted by the Netherlands government.

The Ministry expects to launch the construction program under the guidelines of history experts.

The armouries and barracks used by soldiers hundreds of years ago together with tunnels situated in the Jaffna Fort which were destroyed by terrorist activities over the past three decades would be reconstructed under this program, the Minister said.

The building known as the Queen’s House and the Roman Catholic church were badly damaged due to the terrorist war. A canal which was used for the inner security of the Fort and was destroyed due to terrorist activities will also be rehabilitated. It has been discovered that this canal is a kilometre in length, forty metres in width and three metres in depth, Minister Wanniarachchi said.

These buildings will be reconstructed and renovated to recapture their past glory. Monuments inside and outside the Fort will be preserved and conserved under this program. It is also planned to remove mud and landmines from the ancient canal and preserve it.