COUNCIL hall restored to its past glory

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy inaugurated the renovated Legislative Council building in the Assembly premises

T P VENU  I hyderabad

The heritage building that served as the Legislative Assembly in undivided Andhra Pradesh until the mid-1980s had been lying unused and in a dilapidated condition. It has now been restored and was inaugurated by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Sunday.

Built in the Indo-Saracenic style with Rajasthani elements, the building was refurbished and revived after an 18-month effort by the State government and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

“The restoration was completed in 18 months. There were several layers of paint and partitions that had been added over the years. The ceiling was extensively damaged, leading to seepage. While the old structure was built with brick and lime mortar, some RCC portions had been added later,” said Ratish Nanda, chief executive officer of AKTC.

The building was originally constructed as a Town Hall, and its foundation was laid in 1905 by the sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan.

During restoration, more than 100 metres of cracks, approximately 10 mm thick, were found beneath the tiles. These were carefully repaired and stitched using traditional lime mortar. A 4-inch-thick lime-based concrete layer, matching the original composition, was laid to the appropriate slope. This was further waterproofed with a membrane compatible with lime mortar.

To ensure efficient drainage and prevent water stagnation, all stormwater downpipes were thoroughly inspected, with missing or damaged units replaced. Additionally, the handcrafted water troughs that were missing or deteriorated were reinstated with customised cast-iron troughs matching the original design, informed Nanda.