Nearly 867 days after conservation work began on the Moazzam Jahi Market, the historical market is set to be repurposed as a cultural hub.
“It’s Aug 15 !! Renovated #MJMarket will be opened for us all … (Today’s pic),” tweeted Arvind Kumar, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development.
More than two years earlier, on March 26, 2018, Mr. Kumar had tweeted: “Based on the advice of Minister @KTRTRS, I am adopting #MJ Market for its complete #heritage restoration..seen below is it’s present condition! My time frame is 3-4 months. Seeking suggestions & participation of #Hyderabadis in this effort.”
The sombre structure in stone now has a new lease of life as people stop to have a second glance when it is lit up in the night or during daytime when the clock strikes the hour.
Transformed inside out
During the course of the renovation work, the building has been transformed from inside out.
In the process, the ceiling, the flooring, wiring, signages and ducting have got a complete makeover. A large tricolour now flutters from the middle of the irregular triangular space.
The path to the renovation has not been smooth. “My mother runs a pot stall for more than 5 decades but today we got a warning to remove the stall overnight or else they want to damage the pots stock which is worth more than 50k. Pls do justice,” wrote the son of one of the tenants in the market.
The rent in the market range starts at ₹900 and most of the tenants have shops inherited from their parents and grandparents. Fruit vendors who have rented space believe in stocking their goods outside for display.
How this shopping area, with dozens of shopkeepers with competing pulls of business, turns into a cultural complex remains to be seen.
