Hyderabad: Charminar set to get a makeover with visitors’ plaza to woo tourists

Hyderabad: While affirming that the city’s distinct cultural identity will be protected, AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said on Wednesday that Charminar will soon get a facelift with a visitors’ plaza and other facilities for tourists.

The visitor’s plaza will have multi-purpose public toilets, apart from public plaza and tourist information cell. During a review of the GHMC plans at the party office with MLC Mirza Rahmath Baig he laid emphasis on protection of Hyderabad’s cultural identity.

“Charminar will soon get a facelift with a visitor’s plaza and facilities for people. We want to protect Hyderabad’s distinct cultural identity and also ensure that families can enjoy clean and safe public spaces,” he tweeted.

According to GHMC plan, public toilets located near public places and tourist sites generally have a high footfall of visitors throughout the day. To absorb this large influx of people, this public toilet typology is designed like a stepped plaza which becomes a vibrant public space for visitors to pause. The public plaza can also become a small amphitheatre to view important monuments Under the plaza, public restrooms and visitor centre is housed. The concept is to provide holistic facilities to visitors where they can access basic services that tourists require such as destination information, maps to navigate, drinking water, public toilets.

The public toilet entrance is designed as a double storey foyer that makes an inviting gesture to the public. The façade of the circular toilet building is designed as porous skin that can be made up of layers of local stone. It enables smooth flow of natural light and air into the building to remove foul smell and to reduce electricity cost. The building also accommodates toilets for abled citizens and an access ramp. Other facilities include drinking water, baby changing station and sanitary napkin dispenser.