Hyderabad: Though Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, wants the Golconda Fort, one of the icons of Telangana state, to be the permanent venue for Independence Day celebrations, nothing has been done to protect it from encroachments. Construction here is going on unchecked as officials turn a blind eye.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) convener, Anuradha Reddy, said, “Around the Golconda Fort, one can find several multi-storeyed buildings coming up in violation of the rules and regulations. As per rules, no building should come up within 300 a metre radius, but in case of Golconda Fort and others, one can find huge pucca structures within 100 metres.”
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) feels it is the state government’s job to enforce the law on illegal structures, while the Hyderabad district administration says the responsibility rests with the former. One of the main reasons for the Golconda Fort not being declared a World Heritage Monument was encroachments. As per the Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the area within 100 metres of the monument is prohibited and no constructions should come up here.
But around Golconda Fort, there are 926 houses in the prohibited region and 13 within 30 feet of the fort’s wall.
R. Krishnaiah, ASI superintendent, Hyderabad circle, said, “We are concerned with the maintenance and preservation of the fort, but as far as the encroachments are concerned, the state government and the local bodies need to take up the enforcement of rules.” An earlier record showed that there were 1,151 encroachments on government land, 515 within 200 metres. Most of the houses were built even before the Act came into force. Authorities fear a law and order problem in case of eviction.
An ASI official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Though there are rules and regulation to remove encroachments, enforcement will be an issue because of local political pressure. Unless the state government has the will, nothing can be done by a Central government body alone.” Hyderabad collector tehsildar of Golconda area, Vamshi, said, “ The ASI is responsible for protecting the monument, we did not find any new structures coming up in the government lands around the fort.” Ms Reddy said, “The irony is that while almost all the states in the country have bagged Unesco awards, this state has failed to bag any Unesco awards so far. This is because the government lacks the will to protect monuments and many of them lie in shambles.”
