ANGKOR: The Apsara National Authority, in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is repairing the damaged east gate of Ta Prohm by replacing lost stones with new ones to maintain balance of the gate.

PVNCM Eswar, head of the restoration team from the ASI said the renovation, which began in early January 2022, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. He added that as of May 24, Ta Prohm Temple's east gate restoration project is about 70% complete. Experts are currently working on the roof of both sides of the gate. When those are completed, they proceed to the installation of the central roof, which is the final step of the restoration.

PVNCM Eswar said that although they have already installed new stone, they need to learn more about the construction of the east gate after the restoration to see how resilient it is. Even though they are constantly monitoring the repair, some issues may remain to be seen. The project has focused on restoring carvings, replacing lost and damaged stones, and repairing the roof’s stone trimming and ensuring it is sealed from leakage.

The main challenge of the restoration is presented by tree roots which have shifted the gate’s foundation from its original location, causing the stone wall to crack and potentially collapse.