Hyderabad: Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao asserted Sardar Mahal, located in the Kotla Alijah, Mughalpura, in the city is set to become a major attraction for tourists around Charminar.
Remarking on the progress made in the restoration plan of Sardar Mahal, the minister took to Twitter and said that the mahal would enthral tourists once completely restored.
The chief secretary of Urban Development, Arvind Kumar shared pictures of the mahal following the completion of cleaning works on Wednesday.
The secretary stated that the mahal looked attractive even as only cleaning works had been carried out and additional restoration works were yet to begin.
Arvind Kumar recently also revealed that Sardar Mahal will have an art gallery, cafe and heritage accommodation on the lines of Neemrana Fort Palace in Rajasthan.
Nizam’s legacy
According to officials, Sardar Mahal, a palace built in European style by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan in 1900, will be conserved and restored to its original structure with additional architectural works.
Though Mahboob Ali Khan, the then ruler of Hyderabad state, built the palace for one of his beloved consorts, Sardar Begum, she refused to inhabit this token of love as it did not live up to her expectations. No one stayed there but the building took her name.
It was declared a heritage building by the Heritage Conservation Committee and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took over Sardar Mahal in 1965 due to outstanding property taxes.
Restoration works worth Rs 30 crore
As per plans announced earlier, the heritage structure will be developed as a cultural hub with a museum, a 10-12 room hotel and various activities including exhibitions and performances. However, plans for the hotel have reportedly been dropped.
The proposed activities include cultural events, workshops, art exhibitions, heritage walks and hospitality. The project has been taken up in Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the Built, Operate and Transfer concept.
According to QQSUDA, this will create and strengthen the identity of Hyderabad as a synonym for heritage, creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation at local and regional levels and maximise the historical, cultural, social and tourist potential of the Charminar area.
In April last year, KTR with Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi formally launched the works to conserve, restore and strengthen Sardar Mahal.
KTR had announced that the project, taken up at a cost of Rs 30 crores, will turn into the cultural hub of the city, adding an attraction for thousands of tourists who visit Charminar, Makkah Masjid, Chowmahalla Palace and other monuments every day.
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