Patna/New Delhi

Amid growing concerns over the future of the century-old Sultan Palace, Bihar Tourism Minister Kedar Prasad Gupta has said heritage structures across the state would be beautified, offering the first official indication from the government amid the ongoing controversy over the proposed five-star hotel project at the iconic site.

Gupta made the remarks on Friday shortly after assuming charge as tourism minister following the expansion of the Bihar cabinet led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.

Responding to questions about the future of Sultan Palace, an architectural landmark in Patna built in 1922, Gupta said that wherever Bihar has old heritage buildings, the government would work towards their beautification and preservation.

Though the minister did not directly address reports suggesting possible demolition of the structure, his remarks are being viewed as a reassuring signal for historians, conservation experts and heritage activists who have raised concerns over the fate of the landmark.

The controversy resurfaced after reports in sections of local media suggested that the palace, originally built by Sir Sultan Ahmed, could face demolition to make way for a luxury hotel project.

The reports triggered criticism from conservation architects, historians and civil society groups, who have demanded that the historic structure be retained as part of the hospitality project rather than replaced.

In September 2024, the Bihar cabinet had approved a revised proposal to develop a five-star heritage hotel at the site under a public-private partnership model while preserving the original building, reversing an earlier 2022 plan that had reportedly favoured demolition.

Since fresh speculation emerged in April, neither the tourism department nor the state government had publicly clarified the project’s status, making Gupta’s remarks the first formal response from the department.

Heritage activists welcomed the statement, saying it offered hope for the preservation of culturally significant buildings in Bihar, particularly in Patna, where several historic structures have been lost over the past decades.

The issue has also drawn attention from the Bihar chapter of INTACH, which recently appealed for the safeguarding of Sultan Palace and other unprotected heritage sites in the state.

READ MORE: Why Congress MLA Motab Shaikh thinks he is the luckiest man on earth

Citizens and conservation groups have urged the government to integrate the palace into the proposed hotel project as a heritage wing, while also initiating broader efforts to identify, document and preserve other historic but unlisted structures across Bihar.