Three landmarks set to change landscape of Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar

Hyderabad: Dr B R Ambedkar’s statue, new Secretariat complex and Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial are set to change the landscape of Hussain Sagar, the picturesque lake in the heart of Hyderabad.

The 125-foot statue of Ambedkar is set to be unveiled on his birth anniversary (April 14) while the Secretariat building, which is also named after him, is scheduled to be inaugurated on April 30.

Another milestone Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial is also getting for inauguration.

The Telangana government has released a video depicting the changing face of Hussain Sagar.

While Buddha’s statue in the lake has been the city’s pride for over three decades, Ambedkar’s bronze statue installed near the banks of the lake is expected to add attraction to tourists who throng the area every day.

India’s tallest statue of the architect of Indian Constitution will be unveiled by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on April 14 at a grand ceremony to be attended by thousands of people.

The state government has invited Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar the chief guest for the unveiling ceremony.

Chief Minister KCR believes that India’s tallest statue of Dr Ambedkar, which has come up next to the State Secretariat, opposite to Buddha statue and located beside the Telangana Martyrs memorial, will inspire people every day and motivate the entire state administration.

A couple of weeks after this, the new complex of Telangana secretariat will be inaugurated by KCR. The chief minister, ministers and secretaries will occupy their chambers the same day.

The complex is a seven-storey structure with a built-up area of 7 lakh square feet and equipped with all modern facilities. It has been constructed at a cost of nearly Rs 650 crore.

The building, termed as a symbol of Telangana’s progress, boasts of two massive domes. National emblem atop one of the domes has taken the building to its planned height of 278 feet.

KCR has said that the Secretariat building would reflect the pride of Telangana and would stand as a role model for other states.

He described the new complex as a result of the sacrifices made by martyrs who gave their life for the cause of Telangana.

Interestingly, the construction of the Telangana Martyrs Memorial near the Secretariat is also in its final stage.

With an area of three lakh square feet, the Martyrs’ Memorial is shaped like a lamp with light to pay tributes to those who laid down their lives for statehood to Telangana. The first floor will have a photo gallery, museum, and art gallery, while the second and third floors will house a convention centre and restaurants, respectively.

Hussain Sagar, the most popular hangout place in Hyderabad, is getting a major face lift.

The three landmarks are set to add glitter to the area which includes the historic Tank Bund road on the lake that divides the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

Hussain Sagar thanks to its strategic location and natural beauty and with boating facilities and surrounding parks, food joints and Imax theatre is the oldest and popular hangout place for citizens.

Hundreds of families spend their evenings or leisure time around the lake. The place bustles with tourists walking along the foreshore, taking a boat ride, clicking selfies at ‘Love Hyderabad’ sculpture, which was added a few years ago. Every day a large number of people throng Lumbini Park, NTR Garden, Sanjeevaiah Park, play games at People’s Plaza and enjoy tasty food at Eat Street.

In 2016, the place added another attraction with the installation of a 72 by 108 feet national flag on a 291-feet high flag post at Sanjeevaiah Park.

An artificial island, built of dredged sediments, is also taking shape adding another attraction to the lake.

It was in the 1980s that N.T. Rama Rao, the then Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh, had given a facelift to Hussain Sagar. He installed statues of 33 eminent Telugu personalities However, the move came under criticism from some environmentalists as this eats into the free space.

He also got 58-feet tall Buddha statue installed on the ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ in the middle of the lake The statue was hewn out of a white granite rocket, weighing 450 tonnes, Carved by 200 sculptors for two years, it was installed in 1992 on a red lotus pedestal.