New Delhi

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has approved conservation work for two minarets of the iconic Bibi Ka Maqbara monument in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, officials said on Tuesday.

Often referred to as the “Taj of the Deccan”, the 17th-century mausoleum was commissioned by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in memory of his wife and remains the city’s most visited historical site.

Built on the traditional Charbagh layout—a Persian and Islamic garden design divided into four symmetrical sections—the monument features a central mausoleum flanked by four towering minarets at its corners.

As part of the restoration project, a pair of the 22-metre-high minarets will undergo conservation over a period of nearly one year. The work will include repairing loose stucco plaster, restoring marble tiles on the dome, and reviving the original colour of the plaster, which has faded over time.

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The ASI has sanctioned approximately ₹2 crore for the project. Conservation work is expected to begin in the coming months after the completion of the tendering process.