Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday directed the principal secretary, finance, the commissioners of GHMC and HMDA and the managing director of the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation to appear before it in person on November 22 and explain why they were not starting the work of revival and conservation of the Hill Fort Palace (which once housed the Ritz Hotel), a heritage precinct, despite passing orders several times.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy reprimanded the authorities for ignoring the court’s orders and observed that public servants were in place to meant for the service for the people.
The bench was dealing with a PIL filed by the Hyderabad Heritage Trust, represented by its founder and managing trustee Deepak Kant Gir, seeking conservation and restoration of the Hill Fort Palace.
The petitioner complained that the government was not taking up the restoration works. Expressing concern over the dilapidated condition of the building, which was once owned by Asaf Jah, son of the Nizam, he requested the court to grant permission to the Hyderabad Heritage Trust to start restoration works or to protect the palace, if the government was not concerned.
At earlier hearings, the Telangana government had agreed to start revival works and special counsel A. Sanjeev Kumar, had informed the court that a structural engineering expert committee, led by the GHMC commissioner had visited the site on August 17, 2021, and submitted a report to the government at the request of the Tourism Development Corporation.
Sanjeev Kumar had told the court that the government had approved a budget of Rs 50 crore for the work but there was no forward movement.
When the court had summoned tourism officials on earlier occasions, the government assured the High Court that the works would commence soon. Based on the submissions of the government, the court on May 1 had directed the government to commence work immediately and furnish the status of restoration works by August 8.
On Tuesday, special counsel Sanjeev Kumar informed the High Court that although the government had approved Rs 50 crore for the project, no work could begin because the file was pending with the finance department.
The bench was dismayed by the attitude of the public servants for not showing interest in restoration works and summoned the officials.
