Hyderabad's elevated corridor threatens 1892 palace legacy
Proposed Patigadda flyover risks demolishing historic Paigah structure; experts decry loss of 19th-century gem.
Newsroom, November 09, 2025: The Telangana government's proposed elevated corridor in Hyderabad's Patigadda area, aimed at easing traffic congestion, has ignited fears for the 1892 Paigah Palace complex, a 19th-century architectural treasure built by Nawab Vikar-ul-Umra.
The 1.5-km flyover, part of a Rs 1,200 crore urban mobility plan, would require razing portions of the 10-acre site, which features Indo-Saracenic domes, arched verandas, and gardens that reflect Nizam-era grandeur. Heritage advocates, including INTACH Hyderabad, warn that the demolition would erase a key slice of the city's multicultural past, where the palace served as a nobleman's residence and now houses offices.
Urban planners counter that redesigns could save the facade, but locals and officials like MLA M. Srinivas Reddy decry the oversight in environmental clearances. The Telangana High Court has sought affidavits from authorities by November 15, balancing development with preservation.
