Mushk Mahal turns den of anti-social elements

Hyderabad: Once a majestic structure located in Attapur, Mushk Mahal has now turned into a hub of anti-social elements, and locals are facing numerous hardships due to this. Vexed by these issues, they are urging the state government to restore the structure to its former glory.

A few locals pointed out that for the past several years, the structure has been neglected. The 350-year-old heritage structure is spread across six acres of land, and at present 50 per cent of the vacant land has been encroached, and bushes cover the remaining empty land. Taking advantage of this deserted structure, illegal activities are booming and this has become a daily terror for the locals.

Mohammed Ahmed, a local, said, “Mushk Mahal is an important Qutub Shahi palace that should be preserved because there are no other structures left that belonged to Qutub Shahi dynasty. Due to the apathy of concerned officials who failed to maintain the structure, this led to an increase in illegal activities. We have brought this issue to concerned officials many times, as during nights we are facing hardships to commute through this lane.”

“The Qutub Shahi Heritage structure needs urgent attention and must be restored to its former glory, If it is not protected, this structure will collapse soon, as at present hardly two acres of land is left. It has become a hub of anti-social elements, as we can find broken bottle pieces strewn around. Despite numerous efforts to bring attention to the plight of Mushk Mahal, no concrete steps have been taken to preserve this historical structure,” said Mohammed Abid Ali, heritage activist.