Amman, Aug. 20 (Petra) -- Transport Minister Nidal Qatamin stressed the need to accelerate restoration work on buildings belonging to King Abdullah I Palace at Maan Station, calling for the work to preserve the buildings' heritage character and original components.

Qatamin, meeting with the committee overseeing construction work on the buildings, underscored the importance of carrying out restoration according to specialized technical standards that account for the buildings' historical and architectural value.

He said the work must preserve their walls and original structural elements to safeguard their identity and prevent any damage to their heritage character.

He called for more frequent field visits and the technical and physical inspections needed to assess the buildings' condition, determine required work and set priorities. Restoration should begin as quickly as possible to ensure the buildings are preserved and rehabilitated in a manner befitting their historical value, he said.

Qatamin noted that the King Abdullah I Palace and its affiliated buildings at Maan Station, more than a century old, form an important part of Maan governorate's national memory and architectural heritage.

He said they should be preserved and rehabilitated in line with their history and status, as well as highlighted as a historic landmark reflecting a chapter in the development of the Jordanian state and its transport and railway system.

The meeting also addressed the technical procedures needed for the restoration work and the mechanism for monitoring implementation on the ground, in cooperation with the Jordan Heritage Revival Company, in line with accepted standards for preserving sites and buildings of historical and heritage value.

//Petra// NQ