Mahbubia College in Need of Urgent Restoration
Constant moisture has caused damp walls, with vegetation and roots growing from cracks in several places.
Hyderabad: For hundreds of girl students at Government Mahbubia Junior College, Gunfoundry, attending classes has become risky due to rainwater leaks, damp walls and falling plaster. The college is housed in a once-iconic heritage building constructed in the early 1900s during the reign of the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan. The structure is now crumbling due to continuous water seepage and lack of maintenance and restoration work.
With heavy rains lashing the city over the past several days, portions of the ceiling have started peeling off. Plaster has fallen dangerously close to students in classrooms and corridors. The building’s structural stability is under threat as rusted beams are clearly visible in many classrooms and other areas.
Around 850 students are struggling to attend classes. After every downpour, the walls, floors and benches on the entire first floor — which has 19 classrooms — get flooded. Constant moisture has caused damp walls, with vegetation and roots growing from cracks in several places. A student said, “The walls in the chemistry lab are completely damp and roots have grown inside. We are scared the walls and ceiling may collapse at any time. We fear for our safety as we attend classes twice a week.”
Second-year students said the water seepage problem has worsened compared to previous years. “Last year, the seepage was bad; now it’s worse. Even small plants are growing on the walls because of ideal growth conditions,” one said. Lecturers said they feel helpless as there are no alternative arrangements to shift students. “We cannot hold combined classes since students are from different courses,” said a lecturer.
The building, constructed with granite, has housed Mahbubia School since 1910. Later, it added a junior college in 1974. Another lecturer said, “Recently, plaster has fallen from the ceiling, but luckily no one has been hurt so far. Repair work is urgently needed to prevent further structural damage. The historic building must be preserved to continue educating economically weaker sections.”
However, an Intermediate department official denied any water seepage issue, stating that repair works were carried out just a year ago.
