With such assets, these monuments can get us UNESCO World Heritage Tag: KTR

A city is more than just cement, concrete structures and steel bridges

Qutb Shahi Heritage Park in Hyderabad
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HYDERABAD: A city is more than just cement, concrete structures and steel bridges. The true soul of a city lies in its heritage and how it cherishes it, and this is what the Telangana government is attempting to do in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders. Telangana IT and MA&UD minister K T Rama Rao said during the inauguration of six restored stepwells (baolis) at Qutb Shahi Heritage Park in Hyderabad on Thursday.

By combining these beautiful historical structures such as Golconda fort and 106 acres of Qutub Shahi Tombs and renovated Stepwells, we can certainly aim and hope for a UNESCO World Heritage Tag. He expressed his hope that Hyderabad would be awarded the well-deserved title of World Heritage City.

Lauding and expressing congratulations to the Aga Khan Foundation and those relevant stakeholders in the refurbishment of the Humayun tomb and step wells. KTR claimed that for the fantastic job they have done over the past nine years, they deserve a tremendous round of applause.

"The Qutb Shahi Tombs are among Hyderabad's greatest historical legacies and that's why the Telangana Government is so eager to conserve and showcase this unique site," said Minister Rama Rao. "The Aga Khan Trust for Culture's excellent efforts and the U.S. Consulate's kind support are helping us make that happen."

He went on to say that the Aga Khan Foundation, in collaboration with the Quli Qutub Shahi Urban Development Authority's Heritage Department, has been working hard since 2013. The number of tourists has increased from 75,000 to 2.5 million since the Aga Khan Foundation renovated the Humayun tomb.

Additionally, he said, "We have Charminar and a lot of other heritage structures that we have restored." Along with Mozamjahi Market, we have also restored Ramgopalpet Police Station, Monda Market, CSI Church, Shahlibanda, as well as additional buildings like Mir-Alam-Mandi Kamaan, Gulzar Fountain, Darbar Mahal, etc. Six more structures are also being restored: Ramgopalpet Police Station, CSI Church, Mehboob Chowk, Monda Market, CSI, Shahlibanda.

The stepwell renovation project is funded through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which supports projects to preserve a wide range of cultural heritage around the globe, including historic buildings and archaeological sites. It is the third AFCP grant the Aga Khan Trust for Culture has received for implementing documentation and conservation projects at the Qutb Shahi Heritage Park Complex.

"Hyderabad is not only a dynamic city with a bright future, it's an historic city with a storied past," said U.S. Consul General Jennifer Larson. "This is my first visit to the Qutb Shahi Tombs and it's terrific to see first-hand how the Aga Khan Trust for Culture is leveraging U.S. Consulate funding to conserve parts of this beautiful site."

"Conservation of these incredible 16th century stepwells at the Qutb Shahi necropolis has ensured conservation of extremely significant heritage buildings but also made the complex sustainable for its water needs. Our teams have been honored to work with the Government of Telangana and with a valuable grant from the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation," said Luis Monreal, Director General, Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

The Qutb Shahi Tombs Complex is the necropolis of the dynasty that ruled the region from 1518 to 1687. Hyderabad's other major Qutb Shahi dynasty structures are the Golconda Fort and the 428-year-old ceremonial gateway Charminar. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture is working to develop these three sites in order to request a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an initiative spearheaded through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Telangana Government.

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