Hyderabad: The historic 120-year-old Sardar Mahal is likely to be converted to a luxurious seven-star hotel. The Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQUDA), which is funded by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), is also planning to convert the same heritage structure into a museum. Officials said no bid or expression of interest was invited for both the proposals. However, they did not rule out both proposals and said either of them would be taken after following the due process.
According to sources, the GHMC office housed in Sardar Mahal is being shifted to a new building in Phoolbagh. A vacate order has already been given to the GHMC. Presently, the limited staff catering to ward number 17 of Yakutpura will soon be shifted to GHMC zonal office at Phoolbagh. This apart, renovation and road widening works from Pathergatti to Machli Kaman have already started. Renovation of Machli Kaman is in its final stages.
Sardar Mahal was built in European style by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan in 1900 for one of his consorts Sardar Begum. As Sardar Begum did not like the construction, she never stayed there. However, the building was named after her.
The Hyderabad municipal corporation took over Sardar Mahal in 1965 due to outstanding property taxes. It was declared as a heritage building by the heritage conservation committee and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The Old City has a history of converting heritage structures into seven star hotels, which has been taken over by popular hotel chains. A popular hotel chain has already taken over Chowmahalla Palace and another historic marvel Falaknuma Palace was handed over to Taj group of hotels.
It may be mentioned here that both the palaces were private properties belonging to descendants of the Nizam. However, Since Sardar Mahal is owned by the GHMC, it could be handed over to private management only after passing a resolution in the general body meeting or directly through a government order.
A senior official requesting anonymity said that the proposals were on and it was a high level decision. He said that conversion of Sardar Mahal into a museum was at the QQUDA level while the decision on converting it into a hotel/food court had to be taken by the state government. "We are bound by the order of the government. We can either convert it into a museum or hand it over to a popular hotel chain on the decision taken by the government," he added.
