I-Day fete at Golconda Fort runs into trouble

Army refuses permission, seals the area

• GHMC, revenue officials make a hasty retreat
• Revenue officials dispute Army claim, say their document is not valid
• CM changes plan, only flag-hoisting at ASI land

Hyderabad: The grandiose plans of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to celebrate the Independence Day at Golconda Fort hit a roadblock as Army men took control of the 51-acre land claiming it to be part of the military area. The officials, who were making arrangements there, had to leave the place owing to Army pressure.

Late on Tuesday night, Army personnel took control of the entire area in survey numbers 244, 245 and 246 near Athara Seedi (18 steps) which has become the bone of contention between the Revenue and Army officials. The Army personnel virtually sealed the area and did not allow either the visitors or officials to enter the 51-acre area. Even the local police were not allowed. GHMC and Revenue officials who had taken some equipment to clear the bushes and prepare the ground were forced to make a hasty retreat. Hyderabad RDO K Nikhila and Army Estate Officer Sujatha Gupta examined the area in the morning. The Revenue officials later told The Hans India that according to their records the 51-acre land to which the Army was objecting to, belonged to the Revenue Department.

The official said the Army people were showing the copy of 1957 gazette to stake their claim. This document, the revenue officials say, is not valid.

Following this TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reviewed the situation with officials of Revenue department and the police and decided that the flag hoisting would be near Rani Mahal in Golconda Fort which was under the Archaeology department. The state government has written to the Archaeological Survey of India seeking its permission.

According to Rajiv Trivedi, Additional DG, Octopus, arrangements were being made for inspection of the parade and guard of honour by the Chief Minister near Rani Mahal.

The inspection of parade will be of 10 minutes duration and the guard of honour will take another five minutes.

Meanwhile, officials in the evening claimed that the government had not taken any decision with regard to the display of tableaux.

There are many problems in the display of the tableaux at Golconda Fort as the approach road is very narrow and no heavy vehicle can enter the area.

Asked if the government had kept the issue of display of tableaux in abeyance because of the controversy, the officials came up with a new explanation. They said KCR had asked them to keep ready the entire 51-acre land for Republic Day parade on January 26 and not Independence day. “We are yet to give a thought to the Tableaux issue,” he said. According to Umar, caretaker of Syed saab and Siddique saab dargah near the fort wall army had recently removed the board claiming the land as ASI’s property.

Some others claim that the land was in the possession of military which used the land for training purpose several decades back when civilian population was not there. No army activities were taking place now, they said.

However, the government in order to resolve the issue has asked the Hyderabad district collector M K Meena to convene a meeting with Army and Revenue officials examine the document and decide on the ownership of land. The meeting would be held on Thursday.