HYDERABAD: A portion of the plot declared protected antiquity within the historical Pucca Qila in the city was sealed again when its occupant resumed illegal construction at the site.

An administration official rushed to the site on Friday along with a team of workers after receiving information that he had started raising a boundary wall of his plot, adjacent to the protected fortification wall of Pucca Qila.

Such construction within 200ft radius is prohibited under the Antiquities Act, 1975. The owner, Mohammad Imran Qureshi, had to get demolished a portion of the under-construction wall on Feb 14 under the supervision of City assistant commissioner, who had sealed the premises over the construction activity carried out in violation of Section 3 of the Antiquities Act, 1975, near the protected site.

The property exists on around 3,000 sq-ft within the Goods Naka area.

Lately, he resumed the illegal construction and when the matter was brought to the notice of the AC City, the latter visited the site.

The owner came out with the excuse that he was just getting the wall of his plot repaired. The AC told him that he had not yet completely demolished the illegally raised under-construction wall for which his property was earlier sealed.

The AC confirmed on Monday that he has again sealed the premises.

The owner had submitted his affidavit before the AC on Feb 13 that he would obtain an ownership document from Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s Katchi Abadis department and submit the same in AC’s office. In the light of his undertaking, the premises was unsealed.

The owner requested him to unseal the 3,000 sq-ft property in view of his undertaking. The AC unsealed the same only after he agreed to dismantle the construction work and come out with the ownership documents duly verified by the competent authority. Mr Qureshi claims that he had purchased the property from a private party.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2026