HYDERABAD: A 91-year-old structure in the Tilak Incline area was demolished after the Sindh culture department declared that it was not a protected heritage site. Nor had the property any architectural features, it maintained.

The plot on which the structure, built in 1933, is located in a narrow street near Farooq-iAzam Masjid of the locality.

Shopkeepers in the area said that the property was previously owned by a man, Mr Salahuddin, who sold it to another person, Nisar Arain.

The second owner got the structure demolished a few days back to execute his plan to raise a building after annexing the adjacent plots he is trying to purchase.

On top of the wooden façade, an inscription identifies the lane as `Tharoomall Panjoomal Mohallo 1933` and the title carried the sign of `Om`.When this reporter visited the site, about 90pc of the structure had already been demolished and labourers were removing the debris.

A shopkeeper said that the demolition was started a few days back. The present owner lives in the same area, he said.

Sindhu Chandio, a local official of the culture department, told Dawn in response to a query that `the property is not a protected heritage`. She said she had also visited the site along with staff and found that the property also did not have architectural features as well.

Demolition of a protected site`s portion A considerably large portion of a protected site a structure built in 1928 was demolished in the same area a few years ago.

Standing within the Tilak Incline locality, the site was known as `Khiani Mansions` and was demolished by its owner after multiple propertyrelated transactions entered inthe record of rights.

Some of its parts, including the façade, with a beautifully carved stone bearing the title of `Khiani Mansions 1928` are still intact.

Architectural survey Ms Chandio said that the cul-ture department was conducting a survey in the city these days. `After 2013, it is the latest survey that is being conducted in the Hirabad area [of Hyderabad] ... Other areas will be visited soon to identity buildings with architectural values and features,` she said.She said that a proforma was prepared for declaring any building of architectural value `protected heritage`. `Culture department`s technical committee evaluates the proforma and then takes a final decision on declaring any property or site protected heritage,` she said.