Protect Golconda Fort, Telangana HC tells ASI

HYDERABAD: Expressing concern over the safety of the historical Golconda Fort during the deluge and the subsequent incessant rains and disapproving the negligent attitude of the state and central governments in taking steps to protect the prestigious five centuries old fort, the Telangana high court on Friday directed the state to take immediate steps to protect the fort and summoned the director of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) directing him to appear before the court on November 26, 2020.
The director has to explain the reasons for not releasing adequate funds to undertake repairs to the fort despite requests from the Hyderabad circle of the ASI.
The bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B Vijaysen Reddy gave this interim direction after converting a TOI report dated Oct 23, 2020 on the plight of the Golconda fort as a PIL and commencing an urgent virtual hearing on this. The bench told advocate general B S Prasad to ensure adequate protection to the fort forthwith. Assistant solicitor general N Rajeswara Rao was asked to obtain answers from the Centre as to why the required funds were not released to the ASI Hyderabad circle for taking the necessary repair works. The case will come up again on November 26.
TOI report on Golconda fort highlighted how central officials were keeping mum even after a report from ASI Hyderabad circle wrote to them driving home the urgency to take up repairs as cracks developed on the fortification wall at three areas last week. The fortification wall, made of stone and mud, became feeble due to decades of neglect. Only 15% of funds sought were released by the central officials and this rendered the Hyderabad circle helpless. Experts say that at least Rs 50 crore should be released to protect this Qutub Shahi quake proof architecture that later inspired many countries.
Heritage experts feared that there is every danger of water seeping into the outer fortification ramparts. The gap between stones has widened so much that rainwater started flowing through them with force.