Focus on heritage preservation again in Hyderabad

Ongoing construction near Mecca Masjid is illegal: Wakf Board

A new ongoing construction outside the southern wall of the 400-year-old Mecca Masjid has again brought focus to the state of heritage preservation in Hyderabad. “It is illegal. We are planning to file a criminal complaint against the builders. Though it belongs to the Mecca Masjid, the Archaeological Survey of India and Telangana Heritage should take action. The work has however stopped,” said Mohammed Saleem, Chairman of Telangana State Wakf Board. While Wakf officials say the work has been stopped, residents of the area say the work is going on in the night. Incidentally, it is the intersection of jurisdiction that is hobbling action against the construction work. While the Mecca Masjid is a heritage site under the care of Department of Heritage Telangana, it is a listed Wakf property identified as TSHY2216. Sprawled over 73696 square yards or about 15.2 acres, the masjid is within the radius of protection of the Charminar under the custody of ASI.