HYDERABAD: One of India’s most visited tourist spots, the historical Charminar will soon get a “Visitors’ Plaza’’, complete with a multipurpose restroom, tourist information cell and a plaza that will be developed into a small amphitheatre and will provide the best view of the monument.
The Visitors’ Plaza will come up on Sardar Mahal Road, a place that had turned into an open toilet and garbage dump. It will be developed by GHMC in about 2,100 sq ft at an estimated cost of around Rs 70 lakh. The plaza is expected to be ready in six months.
This is an initiative taken by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi who asked the GHMC to develop a state-of-the-art Visitors’ Plaza and a tourist information centre near the historical Charminar. The idea is to create a modern public utility system around the Charminar for the convenience of visitors. It will be funded by GHMC and we are executing the project. The design has been conceptualised by us, while the plaza is designed by Mad(e) in Mumbai, Kalpit Ashar’’, Kumud Ranjan Kumar, director of Toilets and Toilets Pvt Ltd, told TNIE.
“Charminar will soon get a facelift with a visitor’s plaza and facilities for the people. We want to protect Hyderabad’s distinct cultural identity and also ensure that families can enjoy clean and safe public spaces”, Owaisi tweeted on Wednesday.
Ranjan Kumar said that Charminar is released in the form of a stepped plaza that gives a sense of refuge to visitors. The building can be accessed from all sides thus creating an active interface with the pedestrian plaza.
For visitors with disabilities, ramps will be constructed for wheelchair access. The concept is to provide holistic facilities to tourists and visitors.