Charminar Set for Infrastructure Revamp

Hyderabad: From making it a hawker‑free zone and installing information boards and exhibits to providing basic amenities such as drinking water, washrooms and seating areas, the iconic Charminar is set to get a major infrastructure boost. This is being planned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as part of the site management plan to improve visitor facilities and make the monument more tourist‑friendly.

At present, as the monument’s surroundings are packed with shops and hawkers, tourists often struggle to view and enjoy the site. In addition, basic amenities such as drinking water, washrooms, seating areas and signage are lacking. The ASI intends to change the visitor experience at Charminar, which logs around 3,000 visitors a day during vacation periods.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, ASI superintending officer, Hyderabad Circle, Nikhil Das said a detailed project report (DPR) on revamping facilities at Charminar has been prepared and will be presented to the state government for further action.

“The ASI intends to make the monument’s surroundings between Gulzar House and Charminar a hawker‑free zone from sunrise to sunset. If hawking activities can be restricted during monument visiting hours, tourists will be able to move around and appreciate Charminar more comfortably,” the official added.

Shops and hawkers, as per the proposal, may be shifted to the bus stand that had been originally proposed for a multi‑level parking facility for visitors. The ASI is of the view that visitors can first experience Charminar and later go shopping. Further, the ASI plans to enhance the area around Charminar for better maintenance and facilities. For this, a request has been raised with the Hyderabad collector and Revenue Department seeking additional space. At present, the monument has only a small compound that was constructed as part of the ‘Pedestrianisation Project’ in 2016.

While a proposal to set up a tourism plaza near Charminar was earlier rejected by the National Monuments Authority due to procedural issues, the ASI wants the Telangana Heritage Department to resubmit the proposal for reconsideration.

Meanwhile, the ASI is also proposing the formation of a committee with members drawn from Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA), the Revenue Department and other departments concerned, via the district collector, to monitor illegal constructions around Charminar.

This move comes as ASI notices on illegal constructions within a 300‑metre radius of the monument often get ignored and State authorities fail to act. “To address this, we are proposing a dedicated committee that can effectively monitor and manage issues related to Charminar and its surrounding heritage zone,” the official added.

Meanwhile, the Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority has undertaken several projects to improve the surroundings of Charminar, which records the highest footfall among the state’s monuments. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, P. Gautami, administrator, QQSUDA, said two major projects are aimed at creating uniformity among shopfronts and improving pedestrian movement in the area. These include façade improvement works in Laad Bazaar and Pathergatti.

“In the original days, there was uniformity among the shops. At Pathergatti, we are cleaning up the area and improving signboards, as well as addressing overhanging eaves. In Laad Bazaar, two shops were selected as a pilot project and redesigned with a uniform appearance. Along with adjusting utility wires, the shops now have matching roof designs and signboards, unlike the uneven appearance seen across the market,” she said.

Gautami added that an illumination project is also being implemented in the Charminar precinct. Similar to the lighting at Mozamjahi Market, decorative illumination is being provided from Madina Building to Charminar. The project includes upgrading median streetlights and adding architectural lighting elements to heritage buildings along the stretch.