HYDERABAD: The age-old Serai next to the Hamam, a part of the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park, which is being preserved by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, will be reused as the new office for the State’s Department of Heritage and will also house an archive library for historic documents, said the 2019 Annual Report - Qutb Shahi Heritage Park released on Tuesday.
The report said that in 2019, plaster repairs using lime mortar, installation of stone inside the arcade area were done on the structure. "A glass facade will cover the reconstructed arcade overlooking the internal courtyard and this space will be reused as the new office and an archive library for historic documents...,"the report said.
The Aga Khan Trust is also working on the development of the Hamam forecourt , which would provide proper access to the Hamam Serai. Meanwhile, the tomb complex also has a secret passageway that connects it to Golconda Fort. It was discovered a few years ago.
"Tandur stones were laid on the ramp joining the western peripheral pathway in the south-west quadrant to the South Gate, which is linked with the historic pedestrian linkage to Golconda Fort outer fortification," it added.
Apart from that, the report also provided an update on the preservation of numerous mosques that dot the tomb complex. For instance on the mosque, southwest to the mausoleum of Mohammed Qutb Shah, 20th century cement layers are being removed to reveal the original appearance of the structure.