Shadow of a tower: Hyderabad’s Mozamjahi Market fights for its skyline

Come evening in Hyderabad's Abids, the old granite market still glows. Its clock tower stands over shoppers sifting through dry fruits, and ice cream vendors scoop out seasonal flavours, much as they have for decades.

Just beyond the arches, a 35-storey tower is rising, and the question of whether Hyderabad can have both is now before the Telangana High Court.

A market with a pedigree

Mozamjahi Market was built between 1933 and 1935 by the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, and named for his son, Nawab Moazzamjah Bahadur. Constructed entirely of granite, it spreads across roughly 1.77 acres, and its clock tower and graceful arches remain among the most photographed features of old Hyderabad.

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Today it is loved less as a monument than as a living market. Its handmade ice creams, especially the seasonal-fruit flavours, draw loyal crowds, while old shops sell fruits, dry fruits and everyday essentials. It comes alive during Ramadan, and photographers keep returning for its Nizam-era architecture.

The tower next door

The challenge is Meenakshi Elysia, a high-rise being built by Meenakshi Infrastructures Pvt Ltd in the Gunfoundry area of Abids. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) granted construction permission on August 23, 2022.

The Society for Crusade Against Corruption has petitioned the High Court, alleging that the norms were not followed before approval, and has sought a stay on construction. The developer’s counsel told the court that work has already begun and that all required permissions and NOCs were obtained from the concerned authorities.

The High Court’s queries went to the heart of the matter. It asked how a 35-storey building came to be permitted so close to a historic structure, and whether its impact on the heritage building was ever weighed. It also wanted to know:

a) whether legal procedures and building regulations were fully followed when permission was granted in 2022;

b) whether the road access is adequate for a building of such height;

c) whether structural stability, foundation capacity and the safety of surrounding areas were examined; and

d) whether GHMC verified the necessary environmental clearances.

The petitioner’s counsel also alleged several violations during construction and urged that work be halted until the rules are clarified. After hearing both sides, the court adjourned the matter to October 29.

Voices from the city

For those who have watched Hyderabad’s heritage buildings fall one by one, the court’s intervention comes as a relief.

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“There are notified heritage buildings like Mehboobiya College, a historic church and Mozamjahi Market around this construction,” said Manikonda Vedakumar, urban and regional planner and chairman of the Forum for a Better Hyderabad. “With heritage buildings being demolished in many places, it is gratifying that the court has responded.”

Anuradha Reddy, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) convenor for the Hyderabad chapter, argued that authorities should have considered the market’s historical significance before allowing such a tall building beside it.

Historian Dyavanapalli Satyanarayana framed the issue as one of balance. “The city should move forward while preserving its heritage, rather than letting history be forgotten in the name of development,” he said, adding that authorities must strictly follow certain conditions before permitting modern construction near historical structures.

What happens next

For now, the clock tower keeps time and the ice cream keeps flowing. When the court reconvenes on October 29, it will begin to answer whether the city’s newest skyline can sit comfortably beside one of its oldest landmarks.