The Indian Army has stepped in to stop runaway encroachments inside the 14th century Golconda Fort. After a series of burials in the area known as Athara Seedi Burj in the western part of the fort, the defence officials have erected new signboards prohibiting activities that lead to occupation of the space.
‘Playing, grazing of animals, and burials are prohibited. This is not a public thoroughfare’, is the sign posted where fresh burials have taken place. Soldiers have also been posted in some locations to stop the illegal activities.
“This area has become unhygienic and is being encroached upon as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is not cleaning up the area on a regular basis. Whenever we complain, the workers collect the garbage and burn it creating a situation where it’s difficult to breathe. In the night, there is a lot of activity with vehicles dumping construction debris here,” says Abdul Qadir, a resident who lives near the disused Patancheru Darwaza.
It is interesting to remember that the vast open space near Athara Seedi Burj was in the reckoning for the flag hoisting ceremony for the first Independence Day of Telangana State in 2014. The open space is being used as a playground where children play cricket, football, gilli-danda and marbles. In winter, it turns into a vast maidan for flying kites. An age-old banyan tree is a favourite picnic spot for families.
The encroachments have marred the fort in a grotesque way with residents converting the gateways and other old structures into homes. One part of the fort has now been converted into a private golf course. The fort is under the control of Archaeology Survey of India, but officials say they lack muscle to control encroachments. “We keep serving notices to the encroachers, but they don’t care. Only if the State government wants, it can clean up the area, remove encroachments and restore the glory of this fort,” said an official.
Large areas of the fort are under the control of the Army and have remained intact, albeit, without access to civilian visitors. The legendary 15-foot Azdaha Paikar (dragon-shaped) cannon used by Aurangzeb to attack Golconda is stationed on Musa Burj, but it remains out of bounds. The encroachments both within the fort and even the moat area have defaced other parts of the fort. Right beside the Habshi Kaman near the entrance of the inner fort, a shiny new restaurant is being built, though any building activity is prohibited within 100-metre radius of the historical monument.