HYDERABAD: The historic Hill Fort Palace, which got a ray of hope after the High Court’s order on Saturday, faced several years of neglect by the tourism department.
The structure was constructed by Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur, a former Chief Justice of the Hyderabad High Court during the Nizam’s era. Sir Nizamat later sold it to the Nizam of Hyderabad. It was the residence of the Nizam’s younger son Moazzam Jah and his wife princess Niloufer for a long time.
After Independence, the structure was reverted to the state government which leased it to Ritz Hotel. After the lease expired, it went to the tourism department, which has been its custodian since then. No maintenance work has been carried out at the structure since then.
Deepak Kant Gir, founder of Hyderabad Heritage Trust and petitioner in the case, approached the tourism department to either take up restoration work or to let civil society take it up. Gir, along with other citizens, had once done a clean up at the structure. He says film shootings were allowed to be carried out at the palace, which had caused it further harm.
But when the tourism department did not agree to either option, Gir said he had no other way out but to approach the court. He says he wants the structure to become a cultural centre which can be used by the public.
