Iconic Taj Banjara Hotel Demolished to Make Way for 40-Storey High-Rise
Hyderabad:Demolition of the iconic Taj Banjara Hotel in Banjara Hills continues; This marks the end of one of Hyderabad’s best-known hospitality landmarks, with the lakeside property paving the way for a major real estate redevelopment. The work, which started towards the end of April, entered the structural demolition phase with the removal of the hotel’s exterior walls, allowing the transformation to be visible from the outside.
A contractor involved in the demolition told Deccan Chronicle that the process started with cleaning the building from the inside. “First, we removed the doors, windows, electrical cables, wooden parts, iron and other reusable materials. However, after evacuating the building, we started demolishing the walls and main structure,” he said. The demolition is expected to last another four months, after which excavations for the new project will begin.
People familiar with the redevelopment said a tower of about 40 stories is planned at the site, although the developer has not officially announced the project.
Spread across an area of approximately 3.4 acres overlooking Banjara Lake, Taj Banjara was among the oldest luxury hotels in Hyderabad. The resort was managed by the ITC Group until 1986 when it was taken over by Taj GVK Hotels, which operated the business for nearly four decades. The hotel ceased operations in 2023 after the lease expired.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) signed the agreement last year due to pending property tax dues of around Rs 1.43 crore accumulated over two years. Later, after some of the dues were paid, the seal was removed.
The property has since been acquired by Auro Realty, formerly called Aurobindo Group, for approximately ₹315 crore. The company is expanding its footprint in Hyderabad with world-class residential and mixed-use developments, including major integrated projects in the western corridor. Although plans for the Banjara Hills site have not been announced, sources said the redevelopment is expected to add another high-rise project to its portfolio.
