A day after Ahmedabad became India's first World Heritage City, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged the Centre and the Telangana government to secure a similar tag for Hyderabad.
The Hyderabad MP's idea received support from central minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Telangana's Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao.
Owaisi said a proposal for declaring Hyderabad as World Heritage City was sent to the Centre a few years ago but it was not properly pursued.
The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad was speaking at the inauguration of Deccan Park abutting Qutub Shahi Tombs, the medieval necropolis complex which is vying for World Heritage Site status.
Union Minister for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya, who represents Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency, promised that he will do his best to get World Heritage City tag for Hyderabad.
K.T. Rama Rao, son of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, said the state government would make all efforts in this regard.
He said that with monuments like Charminar, Hyderabad deserved the World Heritage City status.
"Hyderabad has to on top of the list of cities staking claim to world heritage city tag," he said.
He observed that it involves a long procedure. The state government has to send a recommendation to the Centre and the Centre has to approve it and forward it to UNESCO, which then sends its team for inspection.
"We will do our best and will also take the central government's help," the minister said.
The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, which met in Poland's Krakow on Sunday, declared the walled city of Ahmedabad, founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the 15th century, as World Heritage City.
Rama Rao said 108 acres area of Qutub Shahi Tombs and Deccan Park would be developed into a tourist attraction site. He assured that the walking trail from the tombs to the Golconda Fort would also be revived.
He said steps would also be taken for better upkeep of other monuments like Charminar, Makkah Masjid and High Court and to make Hyderabad a tourist-friendly, clean and safe city.
Deccan Park was thrown open to public after years of legal issues. The Quli Qutub Shah Urban Development Authority (QQSUDA) had developed the park on 20 acres in 2006, replete with a number of recreational activities.
--IANS
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