Hyderabad: With the holy month of Ramzan nearing and maintenance works still not being carried out at the iconic Macca Masjid, devotees and authorities of the mosque have started complaining.
The state government had sanctioned Rs 8.48 crore last year for the maintenance of the Masjid, but the amount wasn’t spent. Not even a single work has been carried out till date.
Mr Khadeer Siddiqui superintendent of the masjid said, “The funds sanctioned by the state government through Wakf Board are used for the regular maintenance of mosque like changing the prayer mats, painting the walls, carrying out the patch works, paying salaries and bills etc. None of this has started yet; even the staff salary has been pending for the past four months. If the Wakf Board is waiting for the contractor to carry out the works, they can at least clear the salaries of the staff which makes up for a fraction of the Rs 8.48 crore.”
Meanwhile, the Archaeological Survey of India had collected samples by digging pits, according to Khadeer Siddiqui, the superintendent of the masjid.Mr Siddiqui said that he believed the ASI has been too late in collecting the samples for restoration or repair works to the iconic structure.
“The filling of cracks in the ceiling and walls with the required material hasn’t begun. Come the monsoon, water will start seeping in from the rooftop and devotees will face problems as this year, Ramzan falls in both summer and the monsoon” he said.Minority welfare department chairman Syed Omar Jaleel said, “The Rs 8.48 crore announced by the state government is a grant-in-aid.”
“We are just waiting for the tender announcement; the amount sanctioned will be used to install CCTV cameras, paying salaries etc. We are confident that the maintenance work will be completed well before Ramzan,” said Charminar MLA Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri.
