Bagh-e-Aam gets facelift for Telangana formation fete

Hyderabad: Over 150-year-old Bagh-e-Aam, popularly known as Public Gardens, would get a facelift with renovation of the main entrance and installation of CCTV surveillance without affecting the greenery in the premises.

As Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao directed the officials to take up necessary measures in view of the Telangana formation day celebrations on June 2, State Tourism department plunged into action to give a facelift to the historical famous Public Gardens.

Constructed in 1846, the 'Bagh-e-Aam' was meant for the common people since the bagh (garden) was meant for 'aam' public. Later on, it came to be known as Public Gardens.

According to the historians, this place was first used as a zoo, which was later shifted to Bahadurpura. The Jubilee Hall adjacent to the Gardens was constructed to mark the silver jubilee celebrations of coronation of Seventh Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan.

Tourism Department Principal Secretary C Parthasarathy directed the officials to take up renovation of the main entrance of the Public Garden with limestone to match the material used in the nineteenth century.

To avoid the problem of miscreants at the Public Gardens, it has been decided to fix CCTV cameras at strategic points.

The principal secretary, who inquired about the difficulties of the staff in maintaining the garden, like keeping track of the visitors and shortage of funds among other things, asked the officials to send proposals.

Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud, who visited the Public Gardens, asked the officials to take up all arrangements for the gala celebrations. There should be coordination among different departments for taking up arrangements for the celebrations.

He asked the officials to plan for the 'Kavi Sammelan' at the Jubilee Hall.

The Public Gardens Walkers' Association members have welcomed the decision of the government to facelift the garden but wanted the officials to maintain lung space to larger extent.

The association members were happy to see the clean up exercise and felt that at least by this way the garden was getting renovated.