Hyderabad’s restored Sardar Mahal to open with cafe, art gallery and heritage stay

Sardar Mahal near Charminar is nearing completion of restoration works and will soon open to the public with a café, art gallery, cultural centre and heritage accommodation. The ₹30-crore project is being overseen by QQSUDA.

Hyderabad: Locals and tourists to Hyderabad can soon enjoy a cup of tea at the heritage building of Sardar Mahal, located on the eastern side of Charminar, with a beautiful view of the historic monument in front.

The restoration works of the heritage structure has neared completion and in the next couple of months, it will be thrown open to the public. The heritage building will have an art gallery, cafe and heritage accommodation on the lines of Neemrana Fort Palace in Rajasthan.

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The Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) is overseeing the restoration work taken up by the private firm. Among others, an art studio, a cultural centre along with a small cafe are coming up on the premises. The project is being taken up at a cost of Rs 30 crores.

“We have called for expressions of interest from different hospitality groups to put the premises to a proper reuse. We expect the works to be completed in around two months and after the art gallery, café etc are created it will be opened for the public,” said the official.

According to historians, Sardar Mahal was built in the European style by Nizam VI Mir Mahboob Ali Khan in 1900. Though Mahboob Ali Khan, the then ruler of Hyderabad State, built the palace for one of his beloved consorts, Sardar Begum, she refused to inhabit this token of love as it did not live up to her expectations. No one stayed there but the building took her name.

It was declared a heritage building by the Heritage Conservation Committee and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took over Sardar Mahal in 1965 due to outstanding property taxes.