Days after its inauguration, the Deccan Park is a roaring hit among the locals with hundreds of people thronging the 32-acre park. On Sunday, about 6,000 people visited the park which is a non-ticketed facility as of now.
Ironically, the park is a work in progress with many of the facilities, built about 11 years ago, are in a state of ruin. “It had a functioning musical fountain, swimming pool, chowki dinner shed, boating area, children’s pool and toy train etc. But now, nothing is functioning. The toy train is rusted and the track is no longer there,” says a staffer pointing to the rusted yet colourful train.
The densely populated area of Shaikpet, Golconda and Neknampur is starved of public spaces, which explains its success despite the lack of facilities.
Stunning view
The pool’s tiles are broken as is the water slide. The water treatment plant is rusted. Visitors, mostly the college students and a few families, make do with the grass knoll from where the youngsters slide on the grass as workers in the facility scream at them to no avail. But stunning vistas of the Golconda Fort, Qutb Shahi tombs and beautiful tree lined pathways still make it one of the better spots to visit in the city.
“This facility was opened after two days of notice. We know it’s not in a good condition. But we had no choice. Currently, we are evaluating various options about improving the facilities here. There are two proposals — one for connecting it with the Qutb Shahi tombs complex and making it the main entrance. This will involve removing the pool. And the other is the interpretation centre that will come up in the area,” said an official overseeing the project.
Interpretation centre
The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation is set to take up work on the interpretation centre as part of the Hyderabad Heritage Circuit for which ₹98.42 crore has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism. The Department of Archaeology and Museums is helming the effort on curating for the interpretation centre.
The other proposal is an outcome of the MoU signed between Aga Khan Foundation of India and the State government in 2013 for preserving and developing the tombs as heritage structures. The MoU included work on conservation, landscape and urban environmental rehabilitation in tombs complex and Deccan Park. While the work inside the tombs complex has been in progress, it is the connectivity with the Deccan Park that is the key to the holistic experience and will involve work on the landscape. The Deccan Park has two wells from the Qutb Shahi era as well as a maqbara (grave).
The park has been a favourite spot for film and ad shoots (Ravi Teja’s Kick was shot here). “Film shootings and social events had been going on even when the park was closed. They earned only about ₹12 lakh per year. We are planning to ticket the park to increase the revenue. The park is open for morning and evening walkers from nearby areas,” said an official of the park.
