Hyderabad: The historic Clock Tower at Mahboob Chowk in Charminar is now chiming and shining brighter after it was fully restored to its past glory in. The structure, which was earlier in a dilapidated condition and surrounded with anti social elements, has been completely restored by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
In 2018, the 127-year-old clock tower began ticking after years. The clock and the structure, which were damaged due to decades of negligence, has now been renovated by the GHMC as part of the Charminar Pedestrian Project (CPP). The five-storeyed clock tower built by Asman Jah, the Prime Minister of the erstwhile Hyderabad State in 1892, suffered several damages.
The clock tower that was a bad condition for all these years is now attracting the attention of Hyderabadis.
On March 22, 2018 AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi along with the Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali and theGHMC Commissioner inspected the site and undertook restoration works. “The renovation works include the plastering, re-painting and the clocks of the clock tower too have been repaired. The entire works were completed in the month of January, 2020,” said Dattupant superintendent engineer, south zone, GHMC.
He said that after the renovation works were completed, the clocks were also repaired. The Turkish style clock tower is considered to be an important part of Hyderabad’s architectural heritage and this is located west of the Charminar, near the Lad Bazar, which is famous for its bangle market.
The clock tower was damaged in nearly 70 to 80 percent of its area and the surroundings were also in a poor condition. It has now been totally renovated, at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Its garden too has been given a makeover with trees and seating arrangementa.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K. T. Rama Rao shared glimpses of the renovated clock tower and lauded the GHMC for successfully renovating it with glory. “ Delighted that yet another heritage structure in our historic city has been restored beautifully by GHMC; Clock tower at Mahboob chowk has been successfully renovated & looks splendid, My compliments to @SEPSZGHMC and team,” KTR tweeted.
The 128-year-old heritage structure was built in 1892 by Asman Jah who, was the Prime Minister of Hyderabad during the reign of the sixth Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, after whom the tower was named. The Chowk has four clocks on four sides and is surrounded by three historical buildings Chowk mosque, Chowk clock tower and Moti Mahal