Hyderabad: Construction of cafe, toilets near Salar Jung Museum raise security concerns

Hyderabad: The ongoing construction of cafeteria and public toilets by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation near Salar Jung Museum raises security concern of the museum, as its director Dr A Nagender Reddy, urged the civic authorities to stop the work. He contends the construction will create a safety hazard and affect the ambience.

The work was going on as per order the issued by GHMC in June this year. The Swachh Management Services was permitted to ‘provide supply and delivery of cafeteria with public toilets under the Safe City Pproject Hyderabad, Circle 9 Charminar zone.’ According to observers, for the last few days construction was going at a footpath in front of the museum’s entry gate which is also a Musi river wall. Local activists and passersby feel the construction may create a safety hazard for one of the biggest museums in the city.

Mohammed Ahmed, a social activist of Noor Khan Bazar, an area close to the museum, said the civic body is constructing the café and toilets under the City Project of Hyderabad. However, development near the museum can lead to its safety concerns.

“Following the construction of the café, there would be large gatherings especially youngsters and visitors. Tourists visiting the museum may face inconvenience,” he said. “The GHMC can build the café and toilets anywhere in the stretch, apart from the museum zone.”

The museum director said “a café and toilets are being constructed in front of the museum. This will not only be a safety and security hazard, but will also affect its ambience. He highlighted such construction will also prove unsafe for the Musi river retention wall.

GHMC EE, Charminar zone, said, “after a complaint was raised by the Salar Jung Museum authorities, we received a call from the Town Planning department; the construction was suspended until further orders.”