Fresh Tenders To Lease Out Waqf's Garden View Mall

The Telangana government today decided to call fresh tenders to lease out Garden View Mall, the Waqf-owned commercial complex adjacent to the Haj House in Nampally.

The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir at the Secretariat.

The seven-storey structure, which includes two basement levels and has a total built-up area of 1.65 lakh square feet, was constructed during the previous Congress regime. Despite Rs 22 crore being spent by the Waqf Board, the complex remained unused and incomplete under the BRS government, leading to its deterioration.

Shabbir Ali, who had overseen the project as a minister in the earlier Congress government, said that the complex was intended to be a key revenue-generating asset for the Waqf Board. He recalled that two additional properties adjacent to the Haj House too were acquired by the Congress government at considerable cost to support minority welfare and Waqf development. However, the lack of follow-up action over the past several years had resulted in neglect and a loss of potential income, he lamented.

He said that global tenders were first invited in 2017, but stringent conditions - such as a strict ban on alcohol and illegal activities, and a requirement to keep two floors vacant during the Haj season - had slowed the process. Officials at today's meeting agreed to reissue tenders, but with the same moral and cultural safeguards in place.

Government Secretary Tafseer Iqbal, Waqf Board CEO Md Asadullah and other senior officials participated in the meeting

The meeting also reviewed arrangements for the upcoming Haj pilgrimage. Shabbir Ali said that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy would formally flag off the batch of Haj pilgrims from the Haj House on May 16, and that instructions had been issued to ensure seamless arrangements for the pilgrims, including accommodation, transport and other facilities.

The meeting also addressed a longstanding concern raised by the Muharram juloos organisers regarding the unavailability of an elephant - a tradition historically fulfilled by the Nizam Trust.

Earlier, the elephant was housed in the Hyderabad zoo and used during religious processions. Following its death, organisers have struggled to maintain the custom. The meeting explored the possibility of government intervention, including the potential purchase of an elephant. The issue is now under discussion with the forest department, zoo officials and wildlife authorities. The Waqf Board CEO has been directed to convene a meeting to find a permanent solution.