Restoration of Qutb Shahi Heritage Park ‘thrills’ US Consul Larson
Hyderabad: US Consul General Jennifer Larson, accompanied by MA&UD minister K.T. Rama Rao, visited the historic Qutb Shahi Heritage park complex here on Thursday.
It marked the completion of the $112,560 conservation project funded by the US Consulate and conducted by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). The project, which supports conservation of five step-wells inside the tombs complex, helps conserve 15 million litres of rainwater during monsoon and meets the water requirements of the 106-acre Heritage Park.
Qutb Shahi tombs are a royal necropolis of the Golconda dynasty (1518-1687).
The tombs complex comprises nearly 100 structures, including tombs, gardens, pavilions and mosques. The site is currently being restored by AKTC in association with the Telangana Department of Heritage. AKTC saved and restored Badi Baoli (stepwell) in the tomb complex from collapse half-a-decade back after a portion of the stepwell perished due to heavy rains.
Speaking on the occasion, Jennifer Larson said that Hyderabad is not only a dynamic city with a bright future but is also a historic city with a great past. She said that it was her first visit to the tombs. It was ‘terrific to see first-hand how AKTC was leveraging US Consulate funding to conserve parts of the beautiful site.
Rama Rao said that the tombs were among Hyderabad’s greatest historical legacies, which was why the Telangana government was eager to conserve the unique site. He informed that the government had in the last two years restored five step-wells, apart from taking up restoration of the historic Moazzam Jahi Market and six clock towers in different parts of the city. The minister said that the government would further restore 11 more step-wells and different heritage structures in the city.
Meanwhile, the step-well renovation project at the tombs complex is funded by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which supports projects to preserve a wide-range of cultural heritages around the globe, including historic buildings and archaeological sites. It is the third AFCP grant the AKTC has received for implementing documentation and conservation projects at the Qutb Shahi complex.
