Hyderabad: Puranapul bridge built over Musi River awaits restoration

The bridge constructed during the Qutb Shahi era over the Musi is 600 feet long and 54 feet above the river bed and has 22 arches. It is the only bridge in Hyderabad to have escaped destruction in the 1908 floods

Hyderabad: The first bridge of the city, the Puranapul built in 1578 over the Musi River, waits a full fledge restoration.

The bridge constructed during the Qutb Shahi era over the Musi is 600 feet long and 54 feet above the river bed and has 22 arches. It is the only bridge in Hyderabad to have escaped destruction in the 1908 floods.

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It was closed for traffic and a parallel bridge was constructed a few decades ago after the government engineers and experts pointed out that the ‘Puranapul Bridge’ was not considered safe for vehicular movement.

Considering its historic significance the authorities planned to transform it into a tourist spot. The first step was made in 2002 when, N.Chandra Babu Naidu was the Chief Minister of unified Andhra Pradesh and the bridge was named ‘Pyarana Pul’, and spruced up. A photo session was arranged and a few couples made to walk on the bridge.

“The chapter closed then and there. Things are back to square one and vegetable and fruit vendors are conducting their business,” said P Anuradha Reddy, a heritage activist.

There are many legends surrounding the events that led to the construction of the bridge. A few historians claim that the Puranapul was built by Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah (1518 -1580) after his son Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah (1565 –1612) crossed river Musi, in turbulent conditions, to meet his lady love Bhagmati. However, there have been historians who ruled out the very existence of Bhagmati.

“Experts from different agencies and institutions inspected the bridge on different instances and made plans for its renovation. Nothing much happened except cleaning the bushes that protrude out from the gaps in the bridge,” said Mohd Safiullah, historian.

A few years ago, the authorities proposed to clear the encroachments, re-carpet road and make seating arrangements alongside having an exclusive hawker zone and walking track. Nevertheless, the plans remained on paper and bridge continues to accommodate vegetable and fruit vendors.

Professor Benjamin B. Cohen, Department of History, University of Utah, in his works wrote mentioned about the Puranapul of Hyderabad.

He wrote, “In the late sixteenth century, the Sultan of Golconda (India) faced a problem. Within the Golconda fort complex, the population boomed as the air and water quality plummeted. Perched atop a rocky outcropping, Golconda lay on the north bank of the Musi River while across it and a few kilometres to the east was an open, flat space. To facilitate transport and mobility across the river between the fort and the south bank, and in preparation for establishing a new capital city (Hyderabad) at the open space, Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah constructed the first bridge across the Musi River.”