Hyderabad: Industrial groups are stepping up to restore and preserve the ancient stepwells in the city, aiming to promote them as tourist attractions.
On Friday, Telangana’s Tourism Department entered into an agreement with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for this initiative. The signing took place in the presence of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao.
As stated in an official release, Infosys has committed to renovating the Mahalaka stepwell at Osmania University. Meanwhile, Sai Life has adopted the Manchirevula stepwell, and Bharat Biotech will be responsible for restoring the Salar Jung and Ammapalli wells.
In addition to other stepwells in Hyderabad, Dodla Dairy will oversee the renovation of the Adikmet stepwell, while the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation will restore the Falaknuma stepwell. Koti Women’s College has also taken on the restoration of the Residency stepwell.
During the event, the Chief Minister stated that historic buildings along the Musi River will be developed into tourist attractions. He urged industrialists to participate in preserving structures that showcase Hyderabad’s culture. The CM emphasized the government’s commitment to promoting the tourism sector while striving to establish Telangana as a welfare state.
Revanth Reddy announced that the government is pursuing the Musi Riverfront development project with great ambition. He criticized the previous administration for neglecting many historical buildings that have fallen into disrepair. The Chief Minister also mentioned that the state government is renovating the Old Assembly building, with plans for the state Legislative Council to move into the restored facility soon.
The renowned Jubilee Hall, currently serving as the Legislative Council, holds significant historical value. The Chief Minister noted that the building was constructed using special technology and stressed the importance of its future preservation, suggesting that the CII adopt and maintain it.
Additionally, the CM announced that efforts to preserve the old Osmania Hospital are underway, with plans for a new hospital building to be constructed at Goshamahal Stadium soon. He highlighted the necessity of protecting the High Court building and mentioned that the government has allocated 100 acres of land for a new High Court building at Rajendra Nagar.
The Chief Minister also emphasized the need to preserve historical structures like Puranapool and the Hyderabad City College building, while stating that the Charminar conservation project is already in progress. Furthermore, he revealed that students in government schools will have the opportunity to visit tourist and historical sites across the state free of charge. This initiative is part of the newly launched Telangana Darshini program, for which a government order has already been issued.
