Hyderabad: MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said on Monday that defence officials had expressed their willingness to part with defence land near the Qutub Shahi tombs for construction of a parking lot for visitors.
Mr Owaisi was visiting the tombs to inspect ongoing conservation work there, along with Mr Luis Monreal, director-general of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, trust CEO Ratish Nanda, Karwan legislator Kauser Mohiuddin and GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy.
Mr Owaisi said the defence ministry would part with the land if the state government provided alternative land in exchange. He asked Mr Reddy to present the issue to the government, and suggested that the revenue authorities identify government land that could be exchanged.
The Aga Khan Trust had signed a memorandum of understanding with the erstwhile AP government, on January 9, 2013, for preserving and developing the tombs as a heritage structure and taking up conservation of the surroundings and Deccan Park which is adjacent to the tombs.
Aga Khan Trust officials said that they planned to develop an auditorium on the premises of the tombs, and Mr Owaisi suggested that it be built of limestone.
Mr Nanda, the AKTC CEO, talked about the conservation and preservation project for the tombs.
Deccan Park may go to Aga Khan Trust
Deccan Park near Shaikpet is likely to be handed over to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which will develop it for the interest of tourists. GHMC commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy said, “As part of the Swadeshi Darshan programme, the state tourism department has written to the Centre to allocate Rs 100 crore for overall development of four important structures — the Qutub Shahi tombs, Deccan Park, Paigah tombs and Hayath Bakshi tombs — for tourists.”
The AKTC is restoring the Qutub Shahi tombs since 2013. It has been directed by the GHMC to expedite the work with facilities such as parking, interpretation centre and amphitheatre. The GHMC also plans to develop the path from Deccan Park to Golconda Fort.
