Located in the high court premises, the heritage building was likely to be razed this month to make way for multi-level car parking.
Published May 18, 2023 | 8:03 PM ⚊ Updated May 18, 2023 | 8:05 PM
Victoria Zenana building. (Supplied)
The historic Victoria Zenana maternity hospital building is located on the eastern boundary of the Telangana High Court in Hyderabad.
This month, it was likely to be demolished for multi-level car parking, which was expected to accommodate nearly 600 vehicles.
However, the demolition of the around-118-year-old building has been stopped for the moment.
This comes after one Sajjad Shahid, representing the Delhi-based non-profit Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), wrote a letter to the high court on 11 May against the demolition.
A graphic of the heritage structures targeted by the Telangana government in the past years.
Shahid shared a copy of the Telangana High Court order dated 16 May with South First.
The letter, written by the HC registrar, directed the Roads and Buildings department of the Telangana government to not start the demolition of H-Block and adjoining structures till further orders from the court.
The court ruling on 4 April this year gave the nod for the demolition of the historic building.
“Since the government has already granted sanction for demolition of the H-block, the Registry is directed to take immediate steps for demolition of the old building and keep the premises ready for commencement of construction of parking block,” the order said.
In an earlier letter, the high court directed to demolish the building and flatten the ground by 13 May so that construction could be started on the land.
Reacting to the court’s latest order, Shahid told South First that he was grateful that it considered his plea and stopped the demolition.
Victoria Zenana building. (Supplied)
“If they would have carried with the demolition till the court vacations are over, there would not have been a choice for people to seek legal remedies. Nothing could have been done then. It ultimately depends on citizens who felt the decision of demolition is not right,” Shahid said.
Earlier, in a recent meeting at Hyderabad’s cultural centre Lamakaan, activists decided to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the high court to protect the structure.
Meanwhile, the Victoria Zenana Hospital was shifted to new premises in Petlaburz and the old building was handed over to the High Court for expansion.
Citing a writ petition, Shahid claimed in the letter that the petition sought only the construction of parking and did not request the demolition of the Victoria Zenana building.
He also pointed out Regulation 13 of the 1981 zoning regulations, which prohibits anyone from altering, repairing, or renovating a heritage building without the approval of the vice-chairman of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
However, Shahid said that neither was written permission obtained from the HMDA vice-chairman to demolish Victoria Zenana nor has a Heritage Conservation Committee been reconstituted by the Telangana government.
Victoria Zenana building. (Syed Akbar/Twitter)
While the Victoria Zenana was denotified via a 2010 MA&UD Ministry order due to its dilapidated condition, Shahid noted in his letter to the HC that any heritage building cannot be de-notified merely because its original use has been discontinued, or it is in disrepair, or there is a more pressing need for developing an alternative use such as car parking.
He added that the location of the Victoria Zenana building was within the “Charminar Area”, notified as Heritage Precinct under the HMDA’s Regulation 13.
As per the Telangana government’s 2010 Revised Development Plan (Master Plan), Charminar’s land usage falls under the Special Reservations Zone (SRZ).
“The construction of a multi-level car-parking facility would result in a change of land use without following the relevant legal procedure,” Shahid had claimed in his letter.
Noting that the heritage structures in Hyderabad are markers of the identity of its natives, Shahid told South First that the Victoria Zenana building can be used as a recreation area, advocate chambers or some other purpose.
“Parking facilities can be created anywhere else as these days the technology has advanced very much. It should not be built at the cost of heritage,” he opined.
