NEW DELHI: A 314-year-old pond, about 11 km south of Delhi, where Mughal emperor Jahandar Shah, son of Bahadur Shah, camped during a battle for the throne in 1712, may soon be revived for rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) planning to approach three government agencies to explore its restoration.
Known as ‘Kishan Das Talab’, the historic water body is believed to have occupied a low-lying stretch behind the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) campus, extending towards the Okhla Waste-to-Energy plant as per a research by the Heritage cell of MCD.
The MCD plans to share its survey findings with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), CRRI and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which owns land in the area, and seek their views on the possibility of restoring the pond.
Dr Aqil Ahmed, member secretary of the MCD Heritage Cell, has used historical accounts, old maps and present-day ground elevations to identify the possible location of the water body.
“The location was more than a convenient patch of open land. A large imperial camp needed water, fodder, space for troops and animals, and access to a major road. The pond's position outside the congested city, but close enough to reach it, made the surrounding landscape suitable for such an encampment,” Ahmed said.
Historical records show that on December 9, 1712, Jahandar Shah left Delhi amid a struggle for the Mughal throne and camped at Talab Kishan Das near Khizrabad.
The pond also finds mention in accounts of Persian ruler Nadir Shah's invasion of Delhi in 1739. By 1842, it was known as “Kissen Dass ka Talao” in a road itinerary documenting stages along the Delhi-Agra route.
Ahmed's research points to a natural depression in the area, based on variations in ground elevation. While Mathura Road opposite CRRI stands at about 240 metres, the land behind the institute is around 226 metres, falling further to approximately 225 metres near the rear of Okhla Tank.
“The difference of about 15 metres between the higher stretch of Mathura Road and the lowest point near Okhla Tank suggests a natural depression towards which rainwater from surrounding higher ground could have flowed before roads, buildings and drainage systems altered the landscape,” Ahmed said.
The area behind CRRI and around Okhla Tank has therefore been identified as a priority for further investigation.
The proposed restoration, however, will depend on establishing the pond's original footprint and determining whether its basin survives. Researchers have recommended examining revenue records, village maps, drainage plans and old aerial imagery, followed by field surveys.
“If the original basin or a recoverable part of it is identified, restoration could involve clearing accumulated debris, recovering the natural contours of the depression and creating a system to collect and retain rainwater,” Ahmed added.