‘Relocate Mississippi aircraft hangar to Exhibition Ground’

HYDERABAD: Now that Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) has decided to construct a multi-storey shopping complex on the old Central Bus Station (CBS) premises on the banks of river Musi, heritage activists and city historians suggest that the Mississippi aircraft hangar, which collapsed earlier this month due to decades of negligence, should be relocated.
The hangar, which is still in good condition except for the steel sheets, can be restored and erected to remind future generations of the glorious industrial heritage of the princely state of Hyderabad. They suggest that it should be set up on the exhibition ground at Nampally where the structure can be used for hosting industrial exhibitions, trade fairs and even social functions like marriage receptions.

“Mississippi hangar is part of Hyderabad’s industrial heritage. For officials, the collapsed bus hangar may appear nothing more than an iron scrap. Do not scrap Hyderabad’s history by selling the hangar in scrap,” suggested INTACH city convener P Anuradha Reddy. She said once relocated preferably in the Exhibition Ground it would can be put to multiple use.
“It is a riveted structure. The rivets can be removed, and the structure reassembled without any difficulty. What needs is willing to conserve Hyderabad’s history and heritage,” said Anuradha Reddy, who found the hangar still strong. It needs small repairs, she adds.
The hangar was imported from the USA for installation at Begumpet airport to serve the needs of Deccan Airways. But keeping in view the growing needs of bus passengers, it was erected on the banks of the Musi to serve as a depot.
Later, it was converted into a bus station for long distance services. It was never repaired and allowed to fall, said expert in heritage engineering Sajjan Singh.
Some heritage activists suggest that it can even be relocated at a place a little away from the city. Few city architects have volunteered to dismantle the hangar part by part and erect it at a place of government’s choice.
A senior architect associated with heritage conservation has suggested that the rafters and steel beams should be dismantled with utmost care while disconnecting the steel trusses. The rust that has gathered on the structure should be removed. A fresh coat of painting will make the structure new once again.
The restoration should be to its original length and breadth to maintain the originality of the industrial heritage structure.