HYDERABAD: The clock atop the newly built Burj at Masab Tank appears to have taken the phrase “timeless monument” a little too seriously.
Just months after its inauguration, the three-faced clock has stopped keeping time, leaving commuters to admire a heritage landmark that has everything expected of a clock tower — except a working clock.
The irony is hard to miss. The Burj was built to mark 157 years of municipal administration in Hyderabad, which began in 1869. Inaugurated on December 31, 2025, it was also intended to revive and showcase the architectural traditions and craftsmanship of the Deccan Plateau.
The octagonal structure was conceived as a modern interpretation of the Deccan’s historic bastions, while the adjoining giant pearl was designed to represent Hyderabad’s identity as the City of Pearls. Built using natural lime mortar and compressed stabilised earth blocks, the Burj was meant to bring Telangana’s heritage into the city’s urban landscape.
“The Burj was conceived to bring alive the heritage of Telangana in urban planning. It was designed as a modern interpretation of the Deccan’s historic bastions, while the adjoining pearl represents Hyderabad’s identity as the City of Pearls,” said Mir Khan, founder of Deccan Terrain Heritage, which designed and executed the project.
According to Khan, the structure was handed over to the GHMC before January 1, 2026, with no maintenance contract put in place thereafter. “The clock needs a regular electricity supply, water connection, cleaning, upkeep and protection. Those responsibilities now lie with the GHMC and the power utilities,” he said.
That leaves a monument built to mark 157 years of municipal administration dependent on the municipal machinery to keep its clock running.
Khan said constructing the Burj at one of the city’s busiest intersections had brought its own challenges, including public interference, theft and delays in obtaining permissions. The project survived those hurdles. Keeping the clock running, however, has proved to be a different matter.
For commuters, the stationary hands have become an unintended commentary on civic upkeep.
“The clock has not even completed a year and it has already called it a day. Now it is collecting dust, while pigeons seem to be the only ones regularly using it. After spending so much money to build it, seeing it stop working this soon is a waste,” said Kanishq Bhati.
Fareeha Fatima, another resident, said it was disappointing to see a newly inaugurated landmark fall into disrepair so soon. “They built it with so much fanfare and called it a heritage landmark. But it has barely been a year and the clock has already stopped. Who is responsible for maintaining it?” she asked.
The Burj was envisioned as a modern tribute to Hyderabad’s municipal history, the heritage of the Deccan and the craftsmanship of the region. It continues to stand over Masab Tank, much as it was intended to — imposing, distinctive and visible to thousands of commuters every day.
The clock, meanwhile, remains stuck in its own version of municipal time.
When TNIE contacted GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, he said efforts were underway to address the issue.