Hyderabad: Construction next to Mecca Masjid stopped

Charminar : The Telangana State Wakf Board authorities on Tuesday stopped the construction works which were going on land adjoining the boundary wall of historic Mecca Masjid on the Punch Mohalla side near New Lad Bazar at Charminar.

According to locals, for the last few days works on a G+1 structure were going on rapidly on the land right next to the 'Sabeel' (boundary wall) of Mecca Masjid. One can observe that the wall of the heritage monument was also damaged due to the ongoing construction works.

Hans India raised alarm

When The Hans India reporter contacted the TS Wakf Board regarding the issue, immediately the Chairman Mohammed Saleem asked the Wakf officers to visit the site.

The officers including OSDs (Officer on Special Duty) Asadullah Khan and Mohammed Khasim, Superintendent Ibrahim, Inspector MA Waheed along with HussainiAlam police and Shalibanda division corporator Mohammed Mustafa Ali reached the spot and asked them to stop the works.

"On the instructions of the Chairman, officers along with police reached the spot and issued a notice to stop the construction works. Now the construction work has stopped," said the OSD.

He informed that the owner also claimed that he was rightful owner of the property and will be submitting the valid documents to Wakf Board on Wednesday.

Raising the objection to the construction works, heritage activist Md Habeeb said the construction works which are going on may affect the heritage structure and its strength. One cannot construct the property attached to the heritage structure which is very close to gumbaz.

Already, the boundary wall is damaged and also a small part of gumbaz. The ongoing works may impact the integrity of the structure and the historic sabeel may damage and collapse, if it continues likes this.

The works need to be stopped by the authorities and further no permission must be given," he added.