Century-old City College gets 2 crore funds & facelift

HYDERABAD: The historic City College, spread over 16,000 square feet, has finally got a major facelift. The college on the banks of the river Musi was built by Nizam VII Mir Osman Ali Khan. It has been lying in disrepair for quite some time. It is a grade-II site listed by Heritage Conservation Committee (HCC) before the building was handed over to the state archaeology department.

The college was renovated with funds allocated by the state government and Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) under the supervision of the state archaeology department. The renovation is being carried out at an estimated cost of 2 crore.

The college's compound wall as well as the rest of the structure are being renovated with 1.10 crore. A gymnasium was also set up on the premises at a cost of 10 lakh.

"Apart from the renovation the college will also get upgraded computers. Three new computer labs are being set up at a cost of 40 lakh. The auditorium is also being renovated," said Manjulatha, college principal.

As per RUSA norms the 2 crore cannot be completely spent on renovation so the fund has been split into developing labs and setting up gymnasium. Apart from the fund granted by RUSA , the Telangana government sanctioned 1.83 crore. The work is being carried out by Telangana State Medical Service and Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC).

Additional wash-rooms for girls and class rooms will be build. The staircase and other interiors will be renovated.

Prior to the renovation the college was in bad shape. The plaster on the walls had peeled off in many places, exposing the stones. "The mega building is however structurally strong. But the building used to look like an old dilapidated building as the paint had faded," students said.