THE MODERN ERA OF LAL KILA
The Red Fort, the largest monument in Delhi,[41] is one of its most popular tourist destinations[42] and attracts thousands of visitors every year.[43] It is a monument of national significance; every year on India's Independence Day (15 August), the prime minister of India hoists the country's flag at the Red Fort and delivers a nationally broadcast speech from its ramparts.[44] The fort also appears on the back of the ₹500 note of the Mahatma Gandhi New Series of the Indian rupee.[45]
The major architectural features are in mixed condition; the extensive water features are dry. Some buildings are in fairly good condition, with their decorative elements undisturbed; in others, the marble inlaid flowers have been removed by looters. The tea house, although not in its historical state, is a working restaurant. The mosque and hammam or public baths are closed to the public, although visitors can peer through their glass windows or marble latticework. Walkways are crumbling, and public toilets are available at the entrance and inside the park. The Lahori Gate entrance leads to a mall with jewellery and craft stores. There is also a museum of "blood paintings", depicting young 20th-century Indian martyrs and their stories, an archaeological museum and an Indian war-memorial museum.[citation needed]
Major events
The Red Fort was the site of a terrorist attack on 22 December 2000, carried out by six Lashkar-e-Taiba members. Two soldiers and a civilian were killed in what the news media described as an attempt to derail India-Pakistan peace talks.[46][47]
In April 2018, Dalmia Bharat Group adopted the Red Fort for maintenance, development, and operations, per a contract worth ₹25 crores for a period of five years, under the government's "Adopt A Heritage" scheme.[48] The memorandum of understanding was signed with the ministries of Tourism and Culture, and the Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.).[49] The adoption of the fort by a private group left people divided and drew criticism from the public, opposition political parties, and historians. It also led to the #IndiaOnSale hashtag on Twitter.[50] In May 2018, the Indian History Congress called for the deal to be suspended until there is an "impartial review" of the deal "by the Central Advisory Board of Archaeology or any other recognised body of experts".[51]
