Protection of Hill Fort Palace: Expert committee sought govt response in HC

Hyderabad: An expert committee submitted its report to the Telangana High Court recommending immediate measures for the protection of Hill Fort Palace. A committee of experts was formed to review the position of Hill Fort Palace, known as the Ritz Hotel.

The committee said in its report that the building is unsafe and can be protected through immediate repair works. The committee was set up by the National Academy of Construction comprising professors from IIT Hyderabad and NIT Warangal. Heritage experts and an architect were also included in the committee.

In 1915, the Hill Fort Palace was constructed by Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur, who served as the Chief Justice for the Princely State of Hyderabad, and he resided in it for 15 years. The building was designed with inspiration from the architecture model of Trinity College, Cambridge. Later, in 1929, the palace was purchased by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the VII Nizam of Hyderabad, for his son Moazzam Jah, who was also the head of the city improvement board at the time. Following the annexation of Hyderabad to the Indian Union, the palace was leased out to commercial interests who rebranded it as the Ritz and operated it as a luxury hotel.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice AjalBhuyan and Justice N Tukaram ji sought an explanation from the government on the protection of The Hill Fort Palace on a public interest litigation (PIL).

The government sanctioned Rs 50 crore but the restoration work of the building is yet to begin. The Telangana High Court expressed displeasure over the delay in commencement of construction works.

The tourism department had advised the National Academy of Construction to set up an expert committee. The committee recommended that the government should demolish the existing building and construct a new building. The Chief Justice has sought the government’s stand on the experts’ report. The Telangana government will explain its stand in the high court by June 27.