A minar and portion of wall adjoining it forming part of the iconic old Assembly building partially collapsed on Tuesday, raising concerns over the safety of the building.
The staff sitting inside the building ran out immediately on hearing the loud noise which accompanied the collapse. The old building, located in the heart of the city, is one of the majestic buildings outside the actual palaces of the Nizams. The construction of the building started in 1905 to mark the 40th birthday of the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahoob Ai Khan. The construction, according to available records, was completed in 1913 and the structure was used as diwan-e-aam or council/townhall of the people.
Legislature secretary V. Narasimhacharyulu said the building was constructed a century ago with the then available technologies. Given the age of the structure, the Assembly engineering staff was identifying the vulnerable portions of the old building and taking up repairs from time to time. There was, however, no cause of concern about the main structure which was intact. The engineering wing would also check the old building as well as the associated structures, ensuring their upkeep on a regular basis.
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