Historical monuments to get their due

Heritage committee to inspect them for inclusion in Schedule II of Heritage Act

Swathi Vadlamudi led to more dissent from the activists. Realising the mis- The Heritage Committee un- take, the government, which der Greater Hyderabad Mun- had earlier revealed its inten- icipal Corporation (GHMC) tions to demolish Osmania would visit all the heritage General Hospital, and actual- monuments in the city, in a ly did that in the case of IAS bid to prepare a list and in- Quarters for expansion of clude them in Schedule II of the Chief Minister’s camp of- the Telangana Heritage fice, decided to enact the law Act-2017. to protect heritage GHMC Director (Town monuments. Planning) K. Srinivasa Rao Mr. Srinivasa Rao in- said a total of 163 heritage formed that the government monuments listed by the has decided to take up re- HMDA would have to be in- pairs and restoration of her- spected before they are ad- itage monuments, and reno- ded to the schedule. These vation of Moazzamjahi include structures of histori- Market and Murgi Chowk cal prominence that are over was a step in that direction. 100 years old, which display Four more clock towers of architectural significance historical importance are be- and local importance. ing taken up for develop- Other monuments which The State government has taken up renovation of Murgi Chowk in its efforts to save heritage ment, after the ones at Mah- would receive protection un- structures in the city. * SERISH NANISETTI bub Chowk and der the Act include eight Moazzamjahi Market. monuments across the State to demolish structures of his- ments, was not a statutory of the fact that they were not The four are at Rajarai De- listed by the Archaeological torical importance, owing to body, and had only recom- protected under legal provi- odi at Shalibanda, Govern- Survey of , of which two scrapping of a regulation mendatory powers. sions, sources said. ment High School at Sultan – Charminar and Golconda that identified them as herit- When the activists ap- Meanwhile, owing to lack Bazaar, and Fort – are from Hyderabad. age buildings. proached the High Court of regulation, private owners James Street, Secunderabad. The government was However, the Heritage against the government or- of a few heritage structures There are a total of 13 clock forced to bring the law, after Committee under the der scrapping the regulation, had made use of the oppor- towers in the city, which the NGOs and heritage activists HMDA, which has designat- the court had questioned the tunity to demolish them for government is planning to cried fowl over the proposals ed them as heritage monu- validity of the GO in the light high real estate stakes, which revive phase-wise.