Collector urged to prevent demolition of century–old Church

Hyderabad – A proposal to demolish the 100–year–old St Luke Church in the city and its pastor being shifted to a ''distant place'' has assumed significance as the countdown for the New Year begins.

Pastorate Committee Secretary VK Bawa recently urged the City Collector to prevent this.

The Medak Diocese of the Church of South India, ''oblivious'' to the past history of the only Hindustani church in the diocese (and one of the very few in South India), had directed the aged Pastor to ''vacate the premises'' to facilitate the demolition.

The Church, located opposite the Golden Threshold, home of freedom fighter Sarojini Naidu, had a plaque in the main hall that there was a Pastor functioning there from 1905 onwards, he said in a letter to the Collector. Her family members too attended the Church, he said. In a recently held emergency general body meeting, the Church members had vehemently opposed the demolition and the shifting of the pastor to a ''distant place'' a few days before the Christmas Festival.

The Church was likely to be included in the list of heritage buildings that the state government was revising now, Mr. Bawa said.