Deccani makeover for Laad Bazaar

Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has once again dusted off the Charminar Pedestrian Project and is seeking request for proposals (RFP) from private players for development of the facade of commercial buildings at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore.

Around 120 properties in the historic Laad Bazaar will get an ethnic Deccani look as the civic body renovates the structures but keeps the original look intact. All the commercial establishments in Laad Bazaar will be thus restored in four months. The area is expected to look something like the marketplace near the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Tenders will be invited soon. A private consultant has already come up with three proposals for the project and a final call will be taken on Friday.

The alignment of the 120 structures in the area will be checked as many shops have taken over the road space and these will be cleared. Uniform signage and benches will be installed.  

An earlier proposal was going to work on the facade of the four entry and exit points surrounding the iconic Charminar at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore, but later it was restricted to Shalibanda and Laad Bazaar. However, citing the financial and execution difficulties, the project has been slashed to Rs 10 crore and restricted to Laad Bazaar, well known for its bangles and pearls.

Also getting the chop will be two parking complexes and the Salar Jung Bridge. The Corporation has decided to demolish the police station near Charminar as it falls under the 100 metre no vehicle zone.

After acquiring the required land, the Corporation will hand over the remaining land to project affected properties. However, according to officials this is unlikely to happen this year.