HYDERABAD: As you enter Charminar from Gulzar Houz and proceed towards Lad Bazar side of the monument, scores of vendors selling bangles, imitation jewellery, shoes and other merchandise make it a pleasant and colourful walk. However, an unpleasant surprise is in store if you happen to take the roundabout and venture towards the Sardar Mahal side of Charminar where fruit vendors and food stalls are parked.
Every night during Ramzan, leftovers and food wastes are dumped on the newly-made pavement which was, incidentally, made to beautify the monument. Though the area gets cleared by morning, it makes for a very unpleasant experience for the crowd which usually peaks after midnight during this one month.
Rajkumar, a US-based food blogger who was visiting Charminar with his friends, said, “I come here every year and although Charminar Pedestrian Project is a welcome change, the waste near the fruit vendors is disheartening.” The difference is quite distinct.
While crowds throng Lad Bazar side of the monument, there’s a significantly lesser footfall on the Sardar Mahal side. The strategic placement of the fruit stalls hides the dump but the stench of the rotting food cannot be contained. When contacted, GHMC South Zone Commissioner N Ravi Kiran said, “We are motivating the fruit vendors to compulsorily keep their waste in big dustbins. While some have heeded, others are still dumping waste during the night hours.”