Hyderabad's century-old heritage structure pulled down

HYDERABAD: In yet another jolt to the rich heritage of Hyderabad, the Khusro Manzil, located at Lakdi-ka-Pul, was completely razed down on Thursday night. The structure, said to have been the residence of the chief commanding officer of the Nizam's forces, was built in the 1920s.

The demolition by the building owners originally began in 2013 with the destruction of its roof. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) had on several instances said it had never permitted the structure’s demolition. Under the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) guidelines, Khusro Manzil was classified as a grade III heritage structure.

Mohammed Safiullah, a city-based historian, said it was unfortunate to witness the loss of yet another heritage structure in the city. "We need to have stronger laws for protecting the historic sites," he added. Another historian, Anuradha Reddy, said, "The HMDA had not given permission to tear down the building. It was however demolished. It appears that the government is not concerned about the heritage structures."