Telangana’s Charminar Pedestrianisation Plan: Politics, poll promises and a pending project

The Charminar Pedestrianisation Plan – to develop areas around the iconic Charminar monument in Hyderabad – has been proposed on various counts by the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party, and now the Bharat Rashtra Samithi.   

The proposal was reinitiated by the Telangana municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao in August 2023 – ahead of the state assembly polls – with an allocation of Rs 100 crore under the project. While no development has been witnessed in the area so far, scores of vendors wonder if eviction is on cards for them.

Why is the Charminar Pedestrianisation Plan viewed with suspicion? Why has no progress been made over the years? What are the roadblocks? Is it a poll issue?  

Watch.

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