Telangana initiates new plan to give facelift to Charminar premises, scraps 24-year-old project

“In order to revive the “#Charminar pedestrianisation Project” meaningfully, had discussions with Louis Monreal, DG Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Economic integration of stakeholders/hawkers is integral. We plan to do it with AKTC & ThinkCity (Hamdan),” Kumar tweeted Friday.

In order to revive the “#Charminar pedestrianisation Project” meaningfully, had discussions with Luios Monreal, DG Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Economic integration of stakeholders / hawkers is integral.
We plan to do it with AKTC & ThinkCity (Hamdan)@KTRTRS @asadowaisi pic.twitter.com/rJds6Z28Bf

— Arvind Kumar (@arvindkumar_ias) September 16, 2022

Arvind Kumar discussed the possibilities with Luis Monreal, director general of AKTC and Ratish Nanda, the Chief Executive of AKTC, along with Hamdan Abdul Majeed – managing director, Think City – Malaysia to partner with the Telangana government to envision the prestigious project.

The Quli Qutb Shah Development Authority (QQSUDA) and the National Institute of Urban Management (NIUM) will be spearheading the project, said the statement.

Charminar, built in 1591, is the landmark building that marked the founding of the city of Hyderabad by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah. The monument and its surroundings, such as Laad Bazaar known for its bangles and pearls, are flocked by lakhs of visitors every day. The revival project that was estimated at Rs 139 crore in 1998 rose to Rs 479 crore by 2010.

Due to its inability to fully implement, the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project has been more of a liability for GHMC and QQSUDA for years. The only visible development around the monument is the cobblestone pathways leading to it from all four sides and the installation of bollards that restrict the movement of auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers to some extent, leading to increased traffic congestion in the locality.

“Owing to the slow progress of the project without an integrated social and economic strategy, KT Rama Rao, Telangana Minister for MA&UD, has embarked on initiating the Charminar Historical Precinct Revitalisation Plan,” the statement said.

The project now aims to bestow renewed impetus and look beyond architectural restoration. It will be a comprehensive master plan integrated with a social and economic revitalisation plan to ensure sustainable development of the historic precinct, it said.