Hyderabad ashoorkhanas being neglected

Hyderabad: The major ashoorkhanas in the city have been not looked after for many years and most of them are in dilapidated condition. No effort seems to have been made about repairing the ashoorkhanas in the past 20-plus years even after a number of representations were made to the Wakf Board.

The city’s most significant ashoorkhanas, located at Hussainialam, Zehra Nagar, Falaknuma, and Paththergatti etc., are in bad shape since the past few years and in dire need repairs.

“When the boundary wall of Chasma Bibi Ashoorkhana (Falaknuma) collapsed, a few houses were damaged. Though the place was inspected and grants were ordered, the plan for reconstruction of walls was not executed,” said Zafar Ali, a resident.

“The grants for these works are actually released by the government and then we distribute it to the institutions. As of now, no grant has been released for this year for any developmental works and it is out of our hands to help them”, said  Abdul Hameed, CEO of the Wakf Board.

“A lot of requests have been made to the AP minority welfare department to provide drinking water, toilets, construction of boundary walls and to change the roof at the ashoorkhana Imambada in Rein Bazaar in the last three years,” said Hussain Jaffery, president of the AP Shia Youth Conference.

Salaries pending

Around 25 people working in the Koh-e-Imam Dargah situated at Moula Ali have been working without being paid for the past one year.

According to Mr Jaffery, the Wakf Board has been constantly disregarding the requests. In case of this famous dargah, while the institution’s revenues are in lakhs, the employees are not even being paid their basic salaries.

“We have been managing with the money which is  given by pilgrims and other visitors who come and offer prayers,” said a worker.