Charminar arch gets a coat of peach

Cleared of encroachments, Kali Kaman regains old grandeur

The Kali Kaman now has a coat of peach. Workers on scaffolding perched like birds are applying the final layer of peach paint to the 60-foot high arch that was built along with the Charminar in the 1590s.

Cleared of all the encroachments, the grandness of the arch is apparent from a great distance. “The big breakthrough was when the building which was almost attached to the arch was demolished. We could work without hindrance. Now, if we can persuade the shop owners running their business from the Kaman, our work will be complete,” says Shrinivas Sulge of Laxmi Hericon that’s executing the project. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation officials managed to demolish the encroachment in May this year.

The vegetal growth on the roof of the building has been cleared and a coat of lime mortar over square red tiles is being laid to waterproof the structure. Ten outlets have been added to the roof to drain the rainwater. “We removed 8 inches of rubble and then started our work on the roof,” informed Mr. Sulge.