Hyderabad: Fountain in Public Garden razed down

Hyderabad: A decades-old fountain on central lawn in the Public Garden has been razed to the ground for official celebrations of Telangana Formation Day to be held on June 2. The fountain has historical significance beyond being a structure of beauty. It was a part of not only the garden but also the historical structure of Jubilee Hall.

Considering the heat wave, it was decided to hold the celebrations at the Public Garden.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao gave his his nod and preparations are in full swing. Workers are working round the clock to decorate the venue.

Public Garden was originally developed as Bagh-e-Aam in 1846 on 54 acres and had a seven-acre pond. Land was given to the railways to set up the Hyderabad station, and the garden now covers about 30 acres.

Jubilee Hall was constructed in 1905 to mark 25 years of the coronation of the VI Nizam Mir Mahboob Ali Khan and a portion of the pond was filled with sand. The Jubilee Hall was extended for the silver jubilee celebrations of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, in 1937. Later, several buildings like the State Legislative Assembly, State Museum, Jawahar Bal Bhavan, Indira Priyadarshini Auditorium, Lalitha Kala Thoranam, and Telugu University were constructed in the garden. The central lawn had a spacious and beautiful fountain since 1937.

The Public Garden is managed by the horticulture department and 15,000 to 20,000 walkers visit the place daily.

Environmental activist Lubna Sarwat raised objections to conducting public meetings at the Public Garden, stating that it would ruin the landscape. She demanded action against officials responsible for damaging the fountain and the green belt.

Officials of the horticulture department were tight-lipped on the issue.