Hyderabad: Saidani Ma tomb restoration by October

For the past 12 months, the conservation work related to the tomb has been taken up on a war footing through a collaborative effort between HMDA and Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Hyderabad: Works related to the conservation of a well-known heritage landmark, Maqbara Saidani Ma Saheba, the stately mausoleum built around 1883 by rich noble Nawab Abdul Haq Diler Jung in memory of his mother Saidani-Ma near Tank Bund, will be completed by this October.

For the past 12 months, the conservation work related to the tomb, opposite Sailing Club on Tank Bund has been taken up on a war footing through a collaborative effort between the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), which has been actively involved in restoration of several landmark historical precincts in Hyderabad.

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On Monday, Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD), Arvind Kumar along with CEO of AKTC and conservation architect Ratish Nanda and officials from HMDA visited the Saidani-Ma tombs to take stock of the situation. “We inspected the restoration works being taken up by HMDA and AKTC. The entire project is coming up beautifully and should be completed including the special lighting by early October,” Arvind Kumar said.

Earlier this year, the Special Chief Secretary had announced that the project to restore the Saidani-Ma tomb would be taken up by HMDA in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust. The Saidani Ma tomb was in a dilapidated condition due to years of neglect. Following the success in restoring the Bansilalpet step well and the conservation efforts at Murgi Chowk and Sardar Mahal, the MA&UD wing decided to take up the conservation of the tomb through HMDA and AKT.