The city police is caught in a new controversy. This time, over a construction near the Charminar. The Forum for a better Hyderabad has accused the Charminar Police Station of flouting heritage conservation rules by constructing a new shed and a boundary wall, just metres away from the monument.
“Construction of a shed and compound on the north-west side of Charminar within 200 meters of the monument, i.e., within its regulated areas, is being done by no less than the police at Charminar! With the court having given a status quo over the temple issue beside the Charminar preventing further constructions, it is to be noted that a government department is flouting rules,” said Vedakumar from the Forum For A Better Hyderabad. The construction is within the regulated areas of the monument and would require permission of the ASI, he added.
He claimed that Conservation Assistant, Archeological Survey of India, Charminar, Kutumba Rao had said that he had no knowledge of the construction. “No construction is allowed within the regulated areas of Charminar as that would lead to de-facement of the national monument, and additional construction within the Charminar precincts without permission is not allowed as per the Hyderabad Urban Area Regulation Act,” said Vedakumar.
Vedakumar further said he had submitted letters requesting immediate action to the Archeological Survey of India, Hyderabad Collector, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). However, Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma told City Express that he did not receive any such letter. “There is no new construction that has been done. Whatever has been there, has just been cleaned up and renovated,” he said. Superintendent Archaeologist ASI R Krishnaiah was not available for his comments.