Demolition of Secunderabad station sparks a wave of nostalgia: City laments loss of an iconic edifice

The demolition of Secunderabad Railway Station’s 151-year-old terminal building has left Hyderabadis mourning the loss of an iconic landmark. Once a vital link in the city's history, the station's razing for redevelopment has sparked a wave of nostalgia, with many lamenting the erasure of heritage in the name of progress.

It was a weekend marred with a sense of loss and disbelief for Hyderabadis as demolition began on the terminal building of the Secunderabad Railway Station on Friday. The 151-year-old structure was razed as part of a large-scale redevelopment project. Photos circulating on social media went viral, tugging at the heartstrings of residents. While the station was never officially classified as a heritage site, many in the city regarded it as one. The move, carried out by the South Central Railway (SCR), has left cityfolk disheartened as they mourn the loss of what they considered an iconic landmark, deeply woven into Hyderabad’s history.
Tracing Secunderabad station’s journey from its 1874 inception to demolition
The station was originally built in the 1870s under the reign of the sixth Nizam, Mir Mahboob Ali Khan. It was constructed as part of the British-administered Nizam’s Guaranteed Railways to facilitate trade and military movement. The station was officially opened on 8 October 1874, with co-regents to the sixth Nizam, Sir Salar Jung and Shams Ul Umara, traveling on the first steam-powered train from Secunderabad to the Trimulgherry Military Siding. While the original structure had been altered over time, the pink-cream building that was demolished dates back to the 1950s.
"This is not the first demolition, and it won’t be the last. We’ve lost so many structures in the name of progress. Rather than restoring and preserving history, we seem to favour tearing things down completely rather than keeping certain things intact in the name of history. I’m sad to see it go, but I’m not surprised" – Navin Sigamany

"Buildings matter to people, heritage matters to people — you build around them, not tear them down. For me, that identity is gone. The British, after setting up the Bombay Presidency, wanted to connect Bombay and Madras, and Hyderabad was crucial for that link. That’s how the Secunderabad Junction was formed, and it was Salar Jung who convinced the government and locals to embrace the railways" – Sibghat Khan
Hyderabad bids adieu to a piece of its past

"Was so saddened to hear this...," wrote one social media user

"...so many memories with the current building," wrote another

"What a terrible loss," wrote one on Instagram

<p>Many netizens expressed their sadness over the demolition, calling it a loss of history and heritage<br></p>

One social media user also brought to light the building’s architectural significance

The demolition, being carried out by the South Central Railway (SCR), will take place in phases to make way for a modernised station as part of a large-scale redevelopment project

By- Shrestha Mukherjee

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