Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government has approved the release of Rs 2.35 crore for purchasing the ancestral homes of legendary Bollywood actors Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar located in the heart of this city and declared as the national heritages, as per a report by PTI.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmud Khan has finally approved the proposal, allowing authorities to purchase the ancestral havelis at a rate determined by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Communication and Works Department (C&W).
The report also states that the Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar Muhammad Ali Asghar, following a report of the Communication and Works Department, has fixed the price of Dilip Kumar’s four marla (101 square metre) house for ₹80.56 lakh while that of Raj Kapoor’s six marla house (151.75 square metre) has been agreed at ₹1.50 crore.
After the purchase both the houses will be converted into museums by the KP archaeology department.
Late Raj Kapoor's ancestral home, known as Kapoor Haveli, is situated in the Qissa Khwani Bazar. It was built by Kapoor's grandfather Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor.
Veteran actor Dilip Kumar's ancestral home is also located in the same area.
Earlier, Dilip Kumar had taken to Twitter to express his happiness at Pakistan government's decision to restore his home. Kumar also shared some childhood memories of growing up with his parents, siblings and cousins in the house and playing around near the Qissa Khwani Bazar.
The government took the decision because both the buildings face the threat of demolition due to their dilapidated condition.
(With inputs from PTI)
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