Nizam’s Hanamkonda Subha slips into history

Hanamkonda: The nearly 130-year-old building that once housed the Nizam’s Hanamkonda Subha and currently the District Collectorate is all set to slip into the history with the state government deciding to rebrand it by constructing a multi-storey integrated Collectorate Complex, a one-stop administrative destination, in its place.

Thanks to the plaque that is still intact at the entry point of the building is the only source of information that when the construction of the structure got underway. It was on August 10, 1886; George Palmer, whose specifics hard to find, laid the foundation stone for the building. The building, constructed by using dung sunnam (lime mortar mix), was a power centre in Nizam era. 

It was Hanamkonda Subha that administrated a huge part of Telangana spread across as far as Adilabad, Nizamabad, Devarakonda (Nalgonda) and Khammam. In 1905, Warangal district was carved by the then Nizam government. Since 1950, the building has been the address for Warangal District Collectorate. Only once the roof of the building developed breaches in 1984, however, it was repaired and restored quickly.

Against this backdrop, the State government began the construction of an integrated Collectorate complex last month. To start with, the MRO Office located on the rear side of the Collectorate was dismantled. With the pace of works picking up, the existing Collector’s office has been shifted to a building in Julaiwada meant for a welfare hostel.

With the time fast approaching for the razing of the main structure, it was an emotional moment for those employees, past and present, who gathered at the Collectorate on Sunday. However, they resolved to make one last-ditch effort to appeal the government to save the structure before they bid adieu to it.

Speaking to The Hans India, former president of Telangana Revenue Employees Services Association (TRESA) and a retired administrative officer who worked in the Collectorate for no less than 25 years out of his 33 years of service, Margam Kumara Swamy said: “Albeit I welcome the new complex, it’s heart-rending to lose the structure. I spent better part of my life in this office. We all the present and past employees urge the government to preserve the old structure as its presence not likely to disturb the upcoming construction.”

“The Collector Office is the place where the spirit of Telangana Movement was ignited and sustained in the district,” he said. Expressing his nostalgic feeling about the Collectorate, the TNGO Warangal Urban District president K Rajesh urged the government to protect the old structure however removing the additions made to it. It may be noted here that the government is constructing the new Collectorate with an outlay of Rs 35.38 crore. The works got underway on January 24.

By Adepu Mahender