By Saleha Fatima
Hyderabad: The restoration of the Khursheed Jah Devdi at Hussaini Alam, once the residence of the Paigah nobles, is going at a slow pace. Though work began in June 2023 with 15 months having passed, sources at the site said that the completion of the project could take longer than anticipated due to delays in the work.
A walk through of the place found that work on the ground floor and terrace had seen good progress with new columns at the entrance, new ceilings, decorative moulds, and new railings on the terrace. While the first floor still had ceilings in need of repair from years of water damage. Railings on the stairs leading up to the balconies on the first floor are also yet to be changed.
The Khursheed Jah Devdi was built by Nawab Fakhruddin and subsequently inherited by his descendant Khursheed Jah Bahadur who belonged to the House of Paigah; aristocats who had marital ties with the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Paigahs have had a prominent influence in shaping the architectural landscape of Hyderabad. Monuments like Falaknuma Palace, the Paigah Palace and the Spanish mosque are credited to their names.
Khursheed Jah Devdi, built in the early 19th century, was designed in European Palladian architecture. It once featured beautiful gardens and fountains while the interiors were adorned with expensive carpets and chandeliers. It however passed ownership to the state eventually post independence and was in a dilapidated state post for years.
Hyderabad: Renovation work at Khursheed Jah Devdi progresses rapidly
The palace was in ruins till December 2022 when IAS Arvind Kumar and former special chief secretary (Municipal Administration and Urban Development MAUD) took notice of its condition and promised to restore the monument.
The state government sanctioned Rs 12 crores in the same month for the renovation and estimated 2 years for completion of the Khursheed Jah Devid’s work. The Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) was tasked with the restoration work through a tender process contracted to a private agency.
However, the restoration work was met with hiccups due to elections and administrative issues. After facing a 6-month delay, the project was started in June 2023. As of January 12, 2025, the Khursheed Jah Devdi has seen significant restoration work with new plaster, ceilings, wooden doors and window frames. Still, it lies in an unfinished state, far from completion.
According to one of the construction workers on the site, the work can be expected to go on for the remainder of the year. “We have been working here for the past 15 months and ideally the work should be completed by the month of April-May but it seems unlikely…might end up taking the rest of the year,” said a construction worker on the site, while speaking to Siasat.com.
As of now 20 workers have been contracted in all, through Savani heritage conservation pvt. Ltd, a Mumbai based company.
