The clock towers in the twin city which lie in poor shape due to the negligence of the state government, would soon get a facelift as Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has come forward to sponsor and generate sponsors for conservation and restoration works.
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), in the presence of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, recently approved the proposal for the restoration and conservation of these notified heritage buildings.
HMDA officials told Express that clock towers located in Secunderabad near Garden Restaurant, Moazam Jahi Market, Mahboob Chowk near Charminar, Sultan Bazar Ramgopalpet Police Station, James Street, Fateh Maidan near Police Control Room and Public Gardens will be restored.
The clock towers were specifically built with four clocks facing four different directions for the convenience of everyone. Built at a time when common man could not afford clocks, these towers have stood the test of time and have seen more than 100 years of development around them.
The Secunderabad Clock Tower was constructed in 1860 by the British while the Mahboob Chowk, a historic city square, an elegant tower in an Indo-European synthesis style, was constructed in 1892 by Asman Jah, the prime minister of Hyderabad. The Sultan Bazaar Clock Tower was built in 1865 and that at Fateh Maidan came up between 1903 AD and 1905 AD.