Hyderabad's iconic Charminar will soon be developed and get a makeover as a Swachh Iconic Site (SIS), following a decision by the Union government in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Charminar has been picked as one among 100 such iconic sites, with each place being supported by a public sector unit for additional financing, technical and managerial requirements, Deccan Chronicle reported.
In Charminar's case, the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is planning to work with local authorities for cleanliness around the monument.
“The complete ambience of Charminar is set for a makeover. No specific amount has been decided yet. We will draw up a plan that will bring glory to the monument,” Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) commissioner B Janardhan Reddy told the Times of India from Delhi on Tuesday.
Charminar is one out of 10 places selected as part of phase 2 of Swachh Iconic Sites.
The other nine are Gangotri, Yamunotri, Mahakaleshwar temple, Ujjain, Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Goa, Kaladi in Ernakulam, Gomateshwar in Shravanbelgola, Baijnath Dham, Devghar, Gaya in Bihar and Somnath temple in Gujarat, a press release stated.
Presently at the location, the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP), which aims to pedestrianise a radius of 220 metres around Charminar, by diverting vehicular traffic through the Inner Ring Road (IRR) and the Outer Ring Road (ORR), has picked up speed and is progressing rapidly.
This comes after reports that US President Donald Trump’s daughter and advisor Ivanka Trump may visit the monument during her Hyderabad visit later this month, for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is also busy carrying out conservation and repair works on the monument and its pillars itself.
Charminar, which was built during Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah's rule in 1591, is a protected structure, as any construction within 200 meters around the monument can only be done after permission is obtained from the ASI and the National Monument Authority.
Despite being restored, the structure still faces a threat from fumes, vibrations, dust and smoke.