Year after repair,rain damages Charminar minaret

The Director of Archaeology and Museums,Prof Peddarpu Chenna Reddy,said the chunk that fell off is a protective outer layer and could be replicated using near-original material and affixed to the minaret again.

The Archaeological Survey of India ASI had recently completed renovating parts of the monument. ASI officials said the original plaster was peeling off and they have re-plastered it with a near-original mixture.

In spite of frequent renovations,Charminar,Hyderabads pride,looks shabby and in need of repairs. Recently,the National Geographical Research Institute,Hyderabad,NGRI sent a report to the ASI warning that vibrations caused by movement of traffic around Charminar may start affecting the foundations of the pillars.

Charminar area sees dense traffic throughout the day and late into the night. The NGRI had studied the effect on Charminar caused by the vibrations from traffic movement on all four sides and had suggested that all traffic should be halted or be diverted 40 feet away.

The ASI is concerned about the blackening of the structure due to pollution and has taken up chemical cleaning,which it hopes will also reveal if the monument has developed air cracks. ASI officials say the place is increasingly becoming congested and the number of vehicles passing the area has increased four-fold in the past five years.

At present,theres traffic movement less than five feet away from the monument.