Hyderabad’s 19th-century Paigah Palace, which formerly housed the US Consulate, is set to become the office of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
The rationale behind the decision to relocate HMDA offices is to bring officers from multiple corporations under one roof.
HMDA currently operates from three offices
Currently, HMDA operates from three separate offices situated across the city. The main office is located at Swarnajayanthi Complex in Ameerpet, the HGCL office at Nanakramguda, and the Buddha Purnima Project office near Tank Bund.
With offices spread across various locations in Hyderabad, officials of HMDA face challenges in traveling several kilometers for meetings.
To address this issue, HMDA has requested permission from the government to relocate its office to Paigah Palace, which was handed over by the US Consulate in Hyderabad in April, 2022.
After thorough consideration, the government has granted HMDA permission to occupy Paigah Palace, which comprises three buildings and can easily accommodate all HMDA departments.
Paigah Palace used to house US Consulate in Hyderabad
Previously, Paigah Palace served as US Consulate in Hyderabad starting from 2009. It was the first US diplomatic office to open in India after 1947.
The consulate officially terminated its lease of Paigah Palace in April 2022, upon relocating to the new US Consulate facility in Hyderabad, the largest US diplomatic mission in South Asia, situated at Sy. No. 115/1, Financial District, Nanakramguda, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500032.
Subsequently, Paigah Palace was transferred to HMDA.
Now, Hyderabad’s historic palace is poised to become the new home for HMDA offices.
