Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd is seeking to allay fears that the Rs 16,375-crore mass transport project will destroy the heritage of the city. Promising to make the project heritage-friendly, HMRL said it will partly sponsor the renovation of heritage buildings which are now in a state of neglect. To start with, the HMRL is spending nearly Rs 2 crore on reviving the historic Moazzam Jahi Market building.
The GHMC has hired an expert heritage conservation architect to prepare a detailed project report on renovating the MJ market. Hyderabad Metro Rail’s managing director N.V.S. Reddy told this newspaper that HMRL will give an equivalent amount to any organisation that invests in the restoration of heritage structures. “In fact, we will also hand over Nampally Sarai if any organisation wants to restore it. Nampally Sarai was declared dilapidated by JNTU experts. The only condition is that the organisation doing the renovation of heritage buildings should hire reputed heritage architects,” he said.
He said the metro rail will run 50-500 ft away from heritage structures and will not touch the compound walls of heritage properties. But heritage experts are not convinced by these assurances. They say that while they have no objection to the metro rail authority spending money on reviving the lost beauty of heritage buildings, the metro rail should run underground for some distance where heritage sites are located. “We are not against the metro rail, but the skyline is important. Though the metro may not run through any notified heritage structure, its elevated pillars and platform will block the view of heritage structures,” points out Omim Debara, a heritage conservation activist.
Intach city convener P. Anuradha Reddy said, “We are not satisfied with the HMRL explanation. The HMRL should give a detailed presentation to the Heritage Conservation Committee on the height and distance restrictions being followed regarding heritage buildings, including structures of religious significance, on all the three metro rail corridors.”