World Bank to fund conservation of ancestral homes of Bollywood icons Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor: Pak authorities

World Bank to fund conservation of ancestral homes of Bollywood icons Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor: Pak authorities

Peshawar, 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.

World Bank to fund conservation of ancestral homes of Bollywood icons Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor: Pak authorities

"The physical work on the project is set to begin in four months with an initial budget allocation of ₹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.

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.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.