105 acres of Golconda Fort goes to golf club

[Krithika]

Over 105 acres of the 150-acre Golconda Fort premises now belongs to the golf club. The 105 acres of land falls in the Naya Qila area of the fort, an ASI-protected monument which, as per the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958, should be manned by the central body alone. In fact, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last year between state tourism and Hyderaabd Golf Association (HGA) made the latter custodian of 180 acres of land in and around Golconda Fort (which includes the 105 acres) to "develop the area and promote tourism". The ASI readily gave its consent to the MoU with nary a care that the approach to two heritage mosques in the Golconda precincts would be through - what is now -golf club land.

Nevertheless, HGA officials maintain that showcasing the Golconda fort is still the prime objective of their ‘project'. "We are only beautifying the surroundings of the heritage monument to attract a larger number of tourists to the fort. There is absolutely no other motive behind developing the golf course," said B L K Reddy, secretary of HGA.