Restoring Mecca Masjid brick by brick

Considering delicate nature of the 16th century structure, Department of Heritage is taking up works with extreme care

Hyderabad: Restoration works at the historic Mecca Masjid are nearing completion with officials expecting the long-drawn project to end by Ramzan next year.

The State government had sanctioned Rs 9 crore in 2018 for restoration of the 16th century mosque and considering the delicate nature of the structure after all these centuries, the Department of Heritage is taking up the works with extreme care. The work is being done by Mumbai-based companies involved in the preservation of heritage monuments across the globe.

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“So far, work on the Maqbara and courtyard in the mosque are completed. Also, works on the main gate and guard rooms are finished. Similarly, the work on the main structure is in progress and will be completed soon,” said Abdul Qadeer Siddiqui, superintendent, Mecca Masjid.

The restoration of the mosque was taken up following representation from several quarters after water seepages were reported from the Maqbara and the main structure. The Maqbara houses the graves of all the Nizams except the last Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan, who as per his wish was buried at Masjid-e-Jodhi in King Koti where his mother was buried.

The works at the mosque were briefly stopped during Ramzan due to lot of religious activity in the mosque, and resumed later. To take up the works on the main mosque structure, a massive scaffolding will be set up in the mosque. Putting up the scaffolding requires a lot of expertise considering the height, officials said.

This is the first time that the State government has come forward to help in conservation of the historic mosque. Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the VI Qutb Shahi ruler, had laid the foundation for the mosque.

Meanwhile, refurbishing of the water sump (houz) at the mosque was recently completed. “After complaints over the use of bricks, the work was redone using cement concrete walls,” said Siddiqui.

On the other hand the GHMC is taking up construction of a modern toilet on the outer peripheral of the mosque. The old structure was demolished following frequent choking of the drainage lines and dilapidated walls dating back to several decades. An amount of Rs 1 crore was sanctioned for the task by the GHMC.

“The slab will be laid next week. The foundation works and raising of pillars is done already,” the superintendent said.

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