HYDERABAD: A team of officials from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) visited Bathukamma Kunta in Amberpet on Thursday. They inspected the pond and reviewed the ongoing developments. They were surprised to see old photographs of the area, which was once filled with garbage and construction waste, now transformed into a scenic pond.
MoHUA Additional Chief Town Planner M Monis Khan said Bathukamma Kunta will serve as a national model for lake protection. The officials expressed surprise after watching videos showing water emerging after digging just two metres deep during the scorching summer.
“We had read about HYDRAA in the media. Today we learnt about it at the field level,” the officials said, enquiring about issues that still need attention around the pond.
They noted that with the development of the pond, the area will not only become more attractive but may also see a rise in land prices. HYDRAA officials showed the central team videos of floodwater entering and reaching the pond during recent rains. The team also interacted with locals to learn where the floodwater used to flow in the past, often inundating nearby settlements and colonies. They also inspected the pond’s outlets.