Hyderabad: Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have been complaining about indiscriminate spitting by vendors and others on the iconic Charminar. Though the strains are being removed on a regular basis, the tobacco-chewing men would not leave the monument in peace.
Vendors that infest the commercially hyper-active area have also been damaging the boundary walls of the historic structure. “It is impossible to control the 8,000 odd vendors who peddle their wares on the footpaths around the area from Gulzar Houz to Moghalpura.
According to ASI officials, the vendors are mostly migrants from the north-eastern states.
The Charminar is open for tourists from 9am to 6pm. After the crowds of shoppers disperse, these vendors would huddle together close to the fencing on the four sides of the monument, do chatting, chewing tobacco, spitting on the walls, and some of these men booze and smoke ganja.
“I have often seen the vendors and others sleeping in a drunken state around the monument. At present, due to Covid19, we have less staff and more tourists to cater to. During the weekends, the number of tourists increases. My first priority will be to see that action is taken against spitting and other acts of causing damage to Charminar,” Smitha Kumar, deputy superintending archeologist of ASI Hyderabad circle, said.
“We have formed teams in mufti to monitor and report violence near Charminar. I myself patrol along with other officers around Charminar daily and more than 15 cases have been booked against the law-violators,” said Mallesh, detective inspector at the local police station.
ASI conservation assistant Naveen said officials are aware of these illegal activities and would do continuous monitoring of the situation.
