With the month of Ramzan barely 20 days away, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is racing against time to complete the pedestrianisation project work around the historic Charminar.
For the past several years, authorities had to suspend work in the month given the heavy footfall of shoppers and worshippers, running into tens of thousands, in the area. The large number of hawkers during the last 10 days of Ramzan was also a factor.
Charminar Pedestrianisation Project officer and Additional Commissioner Musharraf Ali Faruqui on Wednesday told The Hindu that a large section of the civil work has been completed. “The pedestrian pathways have been completed. This constitutes a large portion of our work.
Whatever minor issues are left, if any, can be taken up after Ramzan. We have identified a few encroachments, the removal of which will be taken up once the month ends,” he said.
Touching upon the issue of hawkers, Mr. Faruqui said that while the GHMC is not against hawkers and acknowledges the tradition of night market during Ramzan, there would be mild regulations in the pedestrianised area around the monument. However, details are yet to be worked out, he said.
A meeting of GHMC officials and other officials with Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi on Wednesday saw designs of bridges that were specifically designed for hawkers being finalised. According to officials, the bridge, which will be constructed across the Musi, will have the capacity to hold around 700 hawkers.
It was in the last month that MAUD Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar said the bangle market of Lad Bazaar would be made congruent with the heritage character of the Charminar, including a facade of arches. Proposals of ₹34 crore would be submitted to NTPC, a partner of the Centre’s Swachh Iconic Places.
