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After 21 months of reconstruction and renovation, The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower is ready to reopen its rooms that had been heavily damaged during the three-day terrorist attacks on the city in 2008.

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The oldest part of the 107-year old hotel – the palace wing which bore the brunt of the fire, water and bullet damage from the battles in its hallways – has been under reconstruction since the fighting started Nov. 26, 2008.

The stately old rooms and hallways of the hotel will reopen for guests on Sunday, India’s Independence Day, said Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group.

A hotel official reported that the heritage wing of Taj Palace and Towers has 285 rooms and has been refurbished at an estimated cost of over Rs 300 crore.

The presidential suites such as Tata, Rajput and Dutch suites, which have arched balconies facing the Arabian Sea and the Gateway of India, will have some exclusive features and additional offerings, said Managing Director, of Indian Hotels Co, Raymond Bickson.

The palace wing of the Taj has been restored to maintain its old charm, right from its banisters and railings to the paintings that were destroyed during the attacks.

From Sunday the flagship hotel will also be changing its official name to Taj Mahal Palace from The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower. In September, the old wing will have two new suites, the Ravi Shankar Suite and the Tata Suite.

And in a new bonus for guests, some will now be provided with chauffer-driven Jaguars for transfers to the airport. The Tata Group’s auto arm, Tata Motors Ltd. bought U.K.-based Jaguar and Land Rover for $2.3 billion from Ford Motor Co. in 2008.

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