Sardar Mahal restoration back on track, set for March 2026 completion

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.

Hyderabad: The restoration works at the Sardar Mahal at Charminar have resumed after a long break and are expected to be completed by March next year.

The restoration work on the heritage building was halted last year due to a paucity of funds. After the issue was resolved, the work resumed.

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“A majority of the works have been completed. Minor works are pending and we expect it to be completed by March next year,” said an official of Quli Qutb Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA).

The State government had planned to revive the Sardar Mahal and add an art studio, a cultural centre, along with a small café to make it a tourist hub. The QQSUDA is overseeing the works while a private agency was entrusted with the task of restoration.

The heritage building will have an art gallery, cafe and heritage accommodation on the lines of Neemrana Fort Palace in Rajasthan. The project is being taken up at a cost of Rs. 30 crores. Once completed, it would be one of the major attractions in the Old City.

An official of QQSUDA said the contractors had stopped the work due to non-payment of bills. The issue was sorted out by the department with the help of the local public representatives and works resumed.

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.