Saidabad Serenity lost in transition

Saidabad is a major residential and commercial hub in south zone limits of the GHMC. The area is home to various Muslim Mardarsas like Faiz Ul Uloom, Ashraf Uloom and Darul Furqan. The old by lanes of Saidabad is a middle-class cosmopolitan neighbourhood and is known for its affordable living conditions.

A few landmarks at Saidabad are Housing Board Colony (estd in 1965), Laxmi Nagar Colony (1967), SBH Employees Colony (A,B,C-1969) and SBH Officers Colony (1971). There is a pond called Yerra Gunta which is used for Bathukamma, Bonalu and Ganesh Chaturthi festivals.

Secunderabad Railway Station is16 km away and Shamshabad Airport is 22 km away from Saidabad. History Saidabad is named after Syed Mir Mommin, the Prime Minister of Golconda, in 1591. Some nawabs had big mansions here. One such is Ameen Manzil, a historic structure which got its name from Sir Ahmed Hussaini-Nawab Ameen Jung who was a member of the Executive Council of Hyderabad State.

Later he became Chief Secretary of the Nizam of Saidabad. Love for books distinguished him from the majority of officials in Hyderabad who raised a good library and housed it in. The building has interesting vault roofs over verandahs and a mixture of Indian and Western styles of architecture.

N Vaman Rao, a senior citizen, added, “In 1969 there was a garden known as Samad Bagh in the area which had two large wells (Mota Bavi). Even now some part of the garden exists which houses a heritage mansion.”

Problems

Saidabad resident D Murali Prasad says, “The area has been neglected by the GHMC for decades as sweeping and lifting of garbage is not done on a regualar basis. Two bins have been placed on the main road opposite Samad Bagh which always overflows with garbage. Traffic jams are very common in the area. Child snatching cases are also plenty.

By Ch Saibaba