Hyderabad: Khursheed Jah Devdi to be restored

Hyderabad: Khursheed Jah Devdi in Hussaini Alam, a beautiful two-story structure in the Old City where Noble Paigah royals once lived was neglected by the government for years, is now all set to be restored back to its past glory.

On Friday, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar announced on Twitter with regards to its restoration. The works are to be taken up with an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA). The project is expected to be completed in two years.

"Khursheed Jah Devdi at Hussaini Alam will be completely restored to its original grandeur and a garden with fountains will be developed in the front lawns by HMDA and QQSUDA at the cost of Rs 10 crore and will take 2 years. The litigation is sorted out finally," Arvind Kumar tweeted.

Earlier, on Thursday, Arvind Kumar along with Archeological Department officers visited the Badshahi Ashoorkhana near Madina Building and announced its restoration and later, he also visited the Devdi.

The Devdi was built by the ancestors of Paigah and the monument is a European-styled architectural palace, located just a kilometer away from Charminar. The palace is a notified heritage structure and is considered as one of the best examples of Palladian architecture by heritage experts, the mansion has big pillars and European design floors, which were decorated with carpets.

The palace is full of imported furniture, chandeliers and paintings. Woodwork and glass facades were the other features of the palace. The palace also bears resemblance to the British Residency at Koti. It was constructed by Paigah noble Nawab Fakhruddin, who built several other palaces in the City including the Iqbal-ul-Daula Devdi and Jahanuma Devdi. Artisans from European countries completed the structure.