Before any practical work starts, a project must be prepared on the basis of said research and must be submitted to a group of experts for joint examination and approval.

- The Florence Charter, 1981, Article 15

1. Identify the Place

The need for extensive conservation and landscape works in the Quli Qutb Shah Tomb complex was felt necessary to ensure long term preservation, enhance visitor understanding and experience of the Qutb Shahi Heritage of Hyderabad.

2. Documentation & Research

Through 2012, exhaustive recording, documentation, condition assessment, surveys and research exercise was carried out by the multi-disciplinary project team as a precursor to the Conservation Plan that forms the foundation for the project.

3. Statement of Significance

Evaluation of the importance of the elements involved and the decision as to what may be destroyed cannot rest solely on the individual in charge of the work. Additionally, being a related place to the WHS, two international peer reviews have already been held to discuss ongoing works and project team has accumulated significant archival material that will help define an appropriate conservation action for each of the monuments within the complex.

4. Conservation Philosophy

The conservation works preceded by high standards of recording to be undertaken are focused on restoring the ‘spirit and feeling’ of the space with an emphasis on craftsmanship, interpretation and supervision.

5. Peer Review

Prior to outlining the conservation philosophy it was considered essential to define the significance as is understood by the project team. This is to be read in conjunction with the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value as per the nomination dossier.

6. Conservation Plan

Following the incorporation of the comments from the review process, the Conservation Plan (text, photographs and drawings) has been circulated for comments by experts. The final Conservation Plan will be available on the Project website and thus accessible worldwide.

7. Manage & Allocate Resources

Project commenced following sufficient financial resources having been raised. The project has access to technical staff, national and international experts. In order to ensure quality of craftsmanship all works will be carried out by master-craftsmen. Similarly traditional materials –stone, lime, tiles – of quality will be procured.

8. Supervision

Conservation works will be carried out in keeping with the Conservation Plan and be guided by experienced engineers and conservation architects. A conservation architect and a junior engineer will be present at all times during conservation works and will be assisted by field supervisors.

9. Completion Report & Publication

The conservation project will culminate with the writing of a completion report. In addition the annual report will document works carried out each year.