Suffocated by cramped buildings, one-room houses and tiny shops, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument is now being conserved by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). “When we began work, the building was on the verge of collapse. There are major structural problems. Even the crypt has been occupied by some families for years. The original walls have been broken down for settlement,” said Ratish Nanda, AKTC project director.