A part of Hyderabad's Chowmahalla Palace collapsed and fell to the ground on Saturday evening.
The roof of a balcony in the entrance of the iconic Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad collapsed and fell to the ground on Saturday evening, following heavy rain in the city.
This is one of the three balconies in the facade of the palace which is one of the popular sightseeing places in Hyderabad. Big chunks of lime, mortar and some wood fell to the ground.
"The roof the window with the balcony fell due to heavy rain but falling debris did not hurt any passer-by," police inspector Ramesh Kotwal reportedly said.
The balcony was due for restoration and repair but the work was put off due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts inspected the palace facade for structural stability and to suggest immediate measures to be taken to stop further damage in the coming days.
The main palace structures were reportedly not affected.
The palace of the Nizams of the former princely state of Hyderabad, Chowmahalla Palace, as the name suggests, has four main palaces and is a popular tourist attraction.
Built in the 18th century, almost 200 years ago, the Chowmahalla Palace is said to resemble Shah Palace of Tehran in Iran. It was the seat of the Asif Jahi dynasty and the official home of the Nizams when they ruled Hyderabad.
The building of the palace is mostly credited to Nizam Salabat Jang in 1790. The palace originally covered 45 acres which extended from the Laad Bazaar on the north of Hyderabad to the Aspan Chowk Road on the south. Now, the total remaining area of the palace is close to 12 acres.
The palace was restored by the government and was opened to the public in 2005.