The exquisite water palace of Neermahal, floating on Rudrasagar lake near Melaghar, is entering the final phase of a ₹14-crore restoration project.
Conservation architects have completed structural audits of the palace’s 24 rooms and are now re-laying the decorative blue-and-white tiles using traditional techniques. A new glass-bottom boat jetty was inaugurated last week, drawing visitors who had earlier only viewed the palace from the shore.
“We are restoring the original colour palette from 1930 archival photographs,” said conservation officer Anima Roy. The palace will reopen its full wing to the public after the festival season.