Andhra government to start conservation work on Mecca Masjid

Hyderabad, March 26 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to start chemical conservation and preservation work on the historic Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad.

The work is to be carried out at a cost of Rs.37.62 lakh and is expected to be completed before the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan this year. "Muslims will be able to witness and enjoy the historical monument in its new glaring and fascinating form," said Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Ahmedullah.

In a statement here Monday, he said the department of tourism and culture had agreed to take up the conservation and preservation work on the 17th century mosque.

Mecca Masjid, one of the oldest and biggest mosques in India, is located near Charminar in the old city of Hyderabad and is a major tourist attraction.

It was Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutub Shahi dynasty, who started the mosque's construction in the early 17th century, with bricks brought from Mecca, the Islam's holiest city. The construction of the mosque was completed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1694.