Patna, July 29: Almost 224 years after its construction, Golghar — in many ways the iconic landmark of the state capital — is in for major restoration work.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been assigned the task of restoring the hemispherical building, built in 1786 by British armyman John Garstin, to its original shape.

The Bihar government has sanctioned a fund of Rs 94 lakh to the ASI for the job, which is expected to begin in the second week of August and continue for at least a year.

The restoration work has been necessitated because of a vertical crack across the 3.6 metre thick wall.

There is a concern about the condition of the foundation also, as the roads around the Golghar premises are higher than the base level. As a result, rainwater accumulates on the premises, which may harm the structure’s foundation.

The crack, then small, was first noticed almost a decade ago. The state government decided to restore the building to its original shape around two-and-a-half years ago when the crack become wider.

Giving details of the nature of the restoration work, ASI Patna circle superintending archaeologist S.K. Manjul told The Telegraph, “The latest ‘pressure groughting technique’ of restoring old buildings would be used for filling the gap developed due to the crack.”

Under this technique, the outer part of the crack is covered with clay cover and a mixture of building material, used in the original structure, is pumped at high pressure using a pipe to fill the gaps. Once the material settles down, the clay cover is removed.

After completion of filling work, the outer and inner part of the crack would be stitched using old bricks so that the walls remain in their original shape.

The ASI would also take a look at the condition of the foundation of this gigantic structure, which was originally constructed for being used as a granary, to find out if any damage has been caused owing to the accumulation of water on the premises.

“If there is any damage in the foundation, strengthening work would be done,” Manjul said. “Even if it is in good shape, it would be covered with lead sheets to protect it from any damage in future.”

Steps would be taken to develop a drainage system so that rainwater does not accumulate. The staircase too would be repaired as most of the steps have been affected by corrosion over the years.

Manjul said visitors’ entry would depend on the progress of the work.