But, after a much-delayed initiation three years back, whatever little has been done in the name of CPP has far from helped the monument. That successive authorities have been negligent is an understatement, best exemplified by the foundation stone of the stone paving works that stands jarringly in front of the Charminar. Not only does it seem an irony in its environs, it is loaded with spelling errors for the world to see.
“The project is heading directionless. There is a sequence of works to be carried out. But works are picked up randomly for execution and only when there is an opportunity to gain recognition, does the government wake up to do something,” said heritage activist Sajjad Shahid. “But attempts are hardly serious,” he said.
After the government decided that the Charminar should enter the fray for the coveted Unesco World Heritage Tag in 2010, it hurriedly initiated the CPP. The GHMC, which was entrusted with the project, began road-widening and stone-paving works on the stretch from Madina to Charminar.
The important aspects of the plan, include traffic management, development of a uniform façade keeping in tune the heritage character of the place and stonepaved stretches extending from Charminar to Gulzar Houz, Sardar Mahal, Mecca Masjid and Laad Bazaar.
Experts involved in the project explain that traffic management requires vehicles to be diverted from proceeding towards Charminar. The no-entry zones begin at the start of the stone-paved stretches. Vehicles going to Charminar from Madina would have to divert at Gulzar Houz and those coming from Falaknuma sidewouldhavetotake a detour atMecca Masjid. This was done with a view to protect Charminar from air pollution and make the area around it tourist-friendly.
Cutting off traffic also requires creation of expansive parking facilities along the stretch from Madina to Charminar. Nine parking facilities were planned to accommodate more than 5,000 vehicles, increasing the existing parking capacity tenfold. Of these, five have notbeen created asthe authorities have not been able to get locals and politicians on the same page.
The stone-pavement works, first taken up by authorities on the Madina-Charminar stretch, drew locals’ ire thanks to haphazard implementation. The stones laid on Gulzar Houz stretch in the first place hadtobe removed astheGHMChad gotten its specifications wrong. The delay cost traders dearly during the month of Ramzan in 2011 and the GHMC was forced to abandon the work. As a result, only one half of the stretch from Gulzar Houz to Charminar was paved.
Conservation architects are also concerned about urbanisation which the authorities have overlooked. “The Jama Masjid is overshadowed by a commercial complex that stands in front of it which the authorities did little to stop from coming up. There should be concerted efforts like routing permissionsfor newstructuresthroughtheheritageconservation committee to ensure that the plan meets its objectives,” said Vasanta Sobha Turga. The Jama Masjid was constructed in 1598, seven years after the Charminar was built.
The GHMC got off on the wrong foot when it took up the Sardar Mahal-Charminar stretch early this year as it did not involve the locals who later, pulled down a barricade installed cordoning off traffic.
Architects pointed out that the stones being laid are done without digging the road which may cause drainage problems around Charminar. Stones being laid this time are different in size and shape from those that were laid on the Gulzar Houz stretch.
When contacted GHMC commissioner M T Krishna Babu maintained that the corporation is working in close coordination with professionals. “What we have done is what was suggested by our architects keeping in mind the load bearing capacities of the stones,” he said.
HC notice to authorities
The plight of the historical monument Charminar, which is facing threat both from the ever-growing pollution and unauthorized structures that are being allowed within the restricted area of the monument, drew the attention of the AP HC. Taking suo moto cognizance of the report published in TOI on Thursday, the high court, treating the report as a public interest litigation, issued notices to the authorities directing them to explain the steps being taken to protect the monument. The division bench comprising acting Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justice Vilas V Afzalpurkar asked the chief secretary, the secretaries of home, archaeology and municipal administration, DGP, GHMC commissioner, member secretary of PCB, etc. to file their replies within a week. The case will be heard next week.
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