Karnataka - Bidar   

Part of Shah Ganj Darwaza collapses

History lost: A portion of the Ganj Darwaza in Bidar that collapsed on Saturday.

BIDAR: A portion of centuries old Shah Ganj Darwaza collapsed on Saturday following heavy rain.

The darwaza is the one of the five entrances of the town in olden days. The Shah Ganj Darwaza is a modern name given to the Makki Darwaza (Makkah Gate) as it faces Makkah.

Mohammed Riyaz, a resident near the area, said that one of the stones in the wall collapsed and subsequently, many dressed stones fitted into the Gate came down. “I was sitting inside one of the arches attached to the gate and after hearing the sound of stone collapsing, I ran from there,” he said.

Mr. Riyaz said: “For a moment, I thought that the whole structure would come down, as it was raining heavily.”

Reseracher G. Yazdani in his book Bidar — Its History and Monuments says that during the regime of Nawab Nasir-ud-Daula Bahadur, a grain market, called Shah Ganja was constructed out the town near this gate.

The Shah Ganj Gate connects the old city from Ambedkar Chowk to Chaubara (watch tower).

After the road widening from Ambedkar Chowk to Chaubara, residents using the gate to commute between old city and Mohan Market has increased.

Another resident, Moinuddin, said the structure needs attention and officials should take steps to restore the gate, which is in dilapidated condition.

The gate wall has developed cracks.

A few years ago, one of the gates, the Naya Kaman, located near the Basaveshwara statue in the city, had collapsed.

Then, the State government promised to rebuild the structure. But, the promise is yet to materialise.

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