Portion of ceiling collapses at Hyderabad’s historic Government City College

A portion of the corridor ceiling at Hyderabad’s historic Government City College collapsed on Monday morning, raising concerns among students and staff. Charminar MLA Mir Zulfiqar Ali inspected the heritage building and called for a structural assessment and urgent restoration work.

Hyderabad: A portion of the corridor ceiling at Hyderabad’s historic Government City College collapsed on Monday morning, causing concern among students and staff, though no casualties were reported.

The college, which has around 6,000 students enrolled in various courses, witnessed the collapse in one of its corridors.

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Following the incident, Charminar MLA Mir Zulfiqar Ali visited the institution and inspected the building.

The MLA took stock of the overall condition of the heritage building and examined the corridors adjoining the Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology departments, besides the area near the library. The incident has raised concerns over the structural condition of the century-old building and the need for immediate repairs and safety measures.

Government City College is among Hyderabad’s oldest heritage educational institutions, with its history dating back to 1865, when the then Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan, established Madrasa Dar-ul-uloom. The institution was later converted into a City High School by the seventh Nizam, Osman Ali Khan.

The school was shifted to its present building in 1921 and was upgraded as a college in 1929. The building was commissioned by the Hyderabad City Improvement Board and designed and constructed by British architect Vincent Esch, while Nawab Khan Bahadur Mirza Akbar Baig served as its chief engineer.

Speaking during his visit, Mir Zulfiqar Ali said the incident underscored the need for a detailed structural assessment and urgent restoration work. “The safety of students and staff must be given the highest priority, while every effort should be made to preserve the historic character of this heritage institution,” he said.