150-year-old Tank Bund check post set to regain past glory

Hyderabad: About 150-year-old heritage structure that was built near Tank Bund to check the vehicles crossing Tank Bund and entering Secunderabad is soon going to regain its glory as the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department has decided to take up the restoration work of the Tank Bund police check post.

Special Chief Secretary for Urban Development Arvind Kumar on Friday said that the department will inspect the Tank Bund police check post and take up restoration works.

City-based Architect and Heritage Activist Asif Ali Khan, who urged the Secretary to look into the heritage structure that was in a neglected state said, the heritage structure located at the end of the Tank Bund is a 150-year-old structure and it still exists. He said some photographs show a British Viceroy crossing Tank Bund entering into the Secunderabad cantonment and the small structure which was also a police check post earlier then, still exists.

The present state of the heritage structure is in bad condition. Even now it is a check post and a police station for the Hyderabad City Police. The structure is a beautifully dressed stone masonry with a series of three-point horseshoe arches beautifully crafted in stone, in the front façade and was skillfully constructed with an ornate parapet wall.

The architect further said that the front side of the structure is currently being used as a two-wheeler parking. The Madras terrace roof with wooden rafters has began to disintegrate, said Asif.

He urged the Special Chief Secretary to take up the restoration works of the historical small, simple structure.