Hyderabad: Nearly 11 years have passed, but the proposed development works for the Jahangir Peer Dargah located at Anmul Narva village in Kothur mandal of Ranga Reddy district are yet to begin, even as the annual Urs Celebrations are scheduled later this week.
The development project was sanctioned by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in 2016 at a cost of Rs 50 crore. It included a spacious niyaz khana, samah khana, shops, recreational facilities, park, cottages, parking, internal roads and many more.
Before the Congress government came to power in 2023, a team led by the then Telangana State Wakf Board Chairman Mohd Masiullah Khan visited the dargah and announced renovation works. After the change of the government, a Congress delegation visited the shrine and assured a master plan, which would position the Jahangir Peer Dargah at the centre, allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of its magnificence from half a kilometre away. There were plans to transform the shrine into a tourist hub, surrounded by a mega parking complex and guest houses.
It is alleged that lakhs of rupees were spent on the official visits for planning and finalising the developmental works.
However, locals allege no development has taken place since 2016. “News has been circulating that some residents are not ready to part with the land for the development of the shrine. There are no efforts to hold a dialogue with the land owners,” said Shaik Moin, adding, “The only developments are the joy rides and function halls.”
Authorities are mum over the proposals to develop the ancient shrine.
Jahangir Peer Dargah is visited by thousands of devotees from across the country, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, particularly on Fridays and weekends.
According to historians, the dargah is the resting place of two Muslim saints — Hazarat Jahangir Peeran and Hazarat Burhanuddin — who travelled from Baghdad to Hyderabad in the 14th century to preach Islam. It is believed that they died young after being injured during a war or expedition and were buried next to each other at the mausoleum, which exists even today.
There are several local legends about why the dargah is deserted at night. One belief is that Hazrat Jahangir Peeran prefers solitude and does not wish to be disturbed, while another suggests that tigers once roamed the region, discouraging people from staying after dusk. The shrine is not visited during the night.
