Ground Report: Hill fort palace turn dumping ground for Telangana Secretariat debris

Hyderabad: Hyderabad's Hill Fort Palace, an important cultural heritage site, has turned into a dump yard.

Prolonged legal battles have had a cascading effect on its conservation.

However, despite its deteriorating condition, the palace remains an imposing sight, with its grand architecture and sprawling grounds.

As NewsMeter entered the palace grounds, the sight of the entrance was completely blocked by construction rubble from the newly constructed Secretariat which is set to open on April 30.

The vast space around the palace was also filled with construction waste, with workers unloading trucks and adding to the ever-growing pile of debris. The workers confirmed that the rubble was indeed from the newly constructed Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Secretariat.

This unfortunate state of affairs turned the area into more of a dump yard than a historical monument. The once-grand palace, with its impressive architecture and sprawling grounds, is now overshadowed by the mountain of waste that surrounds it.

As ventured closer to the palace, it became evident that the situation was worse than initially thought. The courtyard was littered with debris, broken tiles, and other construction materials. Despite the palace's dilapidated state, it was still possible to appreciate its spaciousness and grandeur. The palace's vast expanse provides ample evidence of its former magnificence, with spacious rooms and wide courtyards that hint at its past as a centre of power and authority.

Hill Fort Palace seems to have become a victim of a legal battle over its preservation. The government is allowing construction waste from the Secretariat to be dumped at the site.

When questioned about the situation, State Roads and Buildings Minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy, said, “Yes the palace is a heritage site and nothing will happen to it.” He further emphasized the need to focus on the positive aspects of the government's initiatives.

The Story of Hill Fort Palace

The Hill Fort Palace, also known as Ritz Hotel, is a royal palace located in Naubhat Pahad, Hyderabad, Telangana. The property was built in 1915 by Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur, who served as chief justice in the government of Nizam, The architecture of the palace is akin to Trinity College, Cambridge.

After Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur's 15-year stay in the palace, it was purchased by Asaf Jah VII for his son Prince Moazzam Jah, and designated as the official residence of the chairman of the City Improvement Board.

Following the annexation of Hyderabad to the Indian Union in 1955, the palace was taken over by the Indian government and leased out to a star hotel, The Ritz Hotel Company, in 1980. The hotel operated till the late 1990s.

Today, the Hill Fort Palace is owned by the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation.

Delay in restoration work

The government had sanctioned Rs 50 crore for the restoration work of the building, but the work is yet to begin. The expert committee recommended that the government should demolish the existing building and construct a new one, but the court sought the government's stand on the matter.

INTACH recommends rehabilitation

The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) team, which included convener P Anuradha Reddy, as well as a group of structural consultants and conservation architects, visited the Hill Fort Palace recently. They found the foundation and substructure level elements were in good condition and only needed minor repairs. However, the superstructure, which includes walls, beams, pillars, and a roof, required special attention.

The INTACH team suggested that the work of rehabilitating the Hill Fort Palace could be taken up by the State government itself or through a PPP model. Alternatively, prestigious firms could be handed the responsibility of investing in, designing, building, and maintaining the building as a safe, durable, and iconic heritage structure once again.

Telangana High Court seeks government's stand

The Telangana High Court asked the state government to express its stand over a report by an expert committee on the palace's structural safety by June 27. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking restoration of the palace, which is deteriorating over time.

The Hill Fort Palace in Hyderabad is at the centre of a preservation battle, highlighting the ongoing struggle to protect historic buildings in India. The palace is a significant cultural landmark, and activists and conservationists are opposing its conversion into a commercial enterprise.