Once college for nobles now a crumbling edifice

Hyderabad: Aliya College, the 145-year old structure is under dangerous conditions with most of its rooms seeping. Major portion of the structure is covered with vegetation and heavy rains in the city have resulted in collapse of one of the portions of the buildings. The building is in a dilapidated condition.

Once the school for nobles, the school has been under severe neglect now and deteriorating with each passing day. The building houses administrative offices of Government Ali School and Aliya College at present.

Following heavy rains from mid-September this year, a portion of the building has recently come down posing a severe threat to the other parts of the structure. Many other parts of the building are seeping and a major portion has not been in use for several years.

The officials concerned seemed to be not very much interested in taking this issue seriously. No action was taken to preserve the monument for a long time and despite a part of it getting demolished now, there is no action from any department concerned.

Speaking to The Hans India here, Aliya School Principal Hima Bindu said that the old structure houses only staff room and the Principal’s room besides records and other stuff but classes for students were arranged in the rear side of the building.

She said, “When the roof collapsed few days ago, we informed the DEO urging him to take necessary steps for vacating the building in wake of the looming danger.” The structure ‘Madarsa-E-Aliya’ was constructed by Salar Jung-1 in the year 1872 as a school for the nobles of Asaf Jahi dynasty and it was managed by Anglo-Indians till the year 1948.

District Education Officer (DEO) G Ramesh said that the issue pertaining to the demolished part would be raised during the next week meeting with state officials and GHMC.

He said, “It suddenly fell down following the heavy rains recently. We will take this issue to the officials concerned. If they allow us, we will take the necessary steps.”

The administrative staff would also be shifted to the RMSA building under construction in the premises very soon and the old structure would not be in used further, he added.

The structure is the living example of official apathy and dereliction by the departments’ concerned and prolonged neglect by the State government.

INTAC Telangana Governing Council co-convener Anuradha Reddy it was distressing and unfortunate to see such buildings coming down due to the official apathy but not due to the natural reasons. She said, “Aliya College/School and many other buildings can be saved, protected and preserved if proper care is taken in time. It is shocking to see these buildings collapsing.”

It seems that State government deliberately neglected these structures which have been reduced to ruins, she lamented. Officials from Archaeology Department were not available for comments.