HYDERABAD: A 91-year-old structure in the Tilak Incline area was demolished after the Sindh culture department declared that it was not a protected heritage site. Nor had the property any architectural features, it maintained.

The plot on which the structure, built in 1933, is located in a narrow street near Farooq-i-Azam Masjid of the locality.

Shopkeepers in the area said that the property was previously owned by a man, Mr Salahuddin, who sold it to another person, Nisar Arain.

The second owner got the structure demolished a few days back to execute his plan to raise a building after annexing the adjacent plots he is trying to purchase.

Culture dept claims it had no architectural features; large portion of a ‘protected site’ was demolished a few years ago

On top of the wooden façade, an inscription identifies the lane as ‘Tharoomall Panjoomal Mohallo 1933’ and the title carried the sign of ‘Om’.

When this reporter visited the site, about 90pc of the structure had already been demolished and labourers were removing the debris.

A shopkeeper said that the demolition was started a few days back. The present owner lives in the same area, he said.

Sindhu Chandio, a local official of the culture department, told Dawn in response to a query that “the property is not a protected heritage”. She said she had also visited the site along with staff and found that the property also did not have architectural features as well.

Demolition of a protected site’s portion

A considerably large portion of a protected site — a structure built in 1928 — was demolished in the same area a few years ago.

Standing within the Tilak Incline locality, the site was known as ‘Khiani Mansions’ and was demolished by its owner after multiple property-related transactions entered in the record of rights.

Some of its parts, including the façade, with a beautifully carved stone bearing the title of ‘Khiani Mansions 1928’ are still intact.

Architectural survey

Ms Chandio said that the culture department was conducting a survey in the city these days. “After 2013, it is the latest survey that is being conducted in the Hirabad area [of Hyderabad] … other areas will be visited soon to identity buildings with architectural values and features,” she said.

She said that a proforma was prepared for declaring any building of architectural value ‘protected heritage’. “Culture department’s technical committee evaluates the proforma and then takes a final decision on declaring any property or site protected heritage,” she said.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2025