Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Commissioner R V Karnan on Tuesday, July 29, inspected the historic Sardar Mahal and the Old Bus Stand area near Charminar and reviewed civic infrastructure, sanitation measures, and heritage restoration efforts in the area.
He was joined by Charminar MLA Mir Zulfeqar Ali, MLC Rahmat Baig, zonal commissioner and other GHMC officials.
Sardar Mahal in Hyderabad
Sardar Mahal was built in 1900 by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, as a gift for Sardar Begum. However, she never occupied the palace, as it did not meet her expectations. Despite this, the palace retained her name.
The building was later declared a heritage site by the Heritage Conservation Committee and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). In 1965, due to unpaid property taxes, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took over the building.
Restoration works at Sardar Mahal started in 2022 and were expected to be completed in two years. However, restoration of the iconic monument near Charminar came to a grinding halt last year due to pending bills of the contractors.
According to a report in Telangana Today, restoration works resumed recently and are expected to be completed by March next year.
The state government has planned to add an art studio, a cultural center and a small cafe to turn the place into a tourist hub.
