HYDERABAD: The west side of Hyderabad which is surrounded with tech firms, tall buildings, skyscrapers and flyovers has now got a new tourist destination with the restoration and comprehensive development of Malkam Cheruvu.
Sprawling in around 50 acres, Malkam Cheruvu which has been inaugurated has been attracting a large number of visitors during morning and evening hours. Since the waterbody is located right after the 2.7-km-long Shaikpet flyover, it is catching the attention of passers-by.
According to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Malkam Cheruvu has been developed with Rs 25 crore to make this waterbody as a major tourist destination for west Hyderabad. The major highlight of this water body is that it could be viewed completely from any chosen point of the lake.
The works for Malka Cheruvu commenced in 2018 along with Durgam Cheruvu and is being developed in coordination with Aparna Infra Limited under their Corporate Social Responsibility. Malkam Cheruvu is a notified water body in the west zone of GHMC and situated at Raidurgam.
It has an FTL area of 51.30 acres. Previously this tank served for an ayacut of 20 acres. This is one of the chain link tanks (i.e.,Durgam Cheruvu - Malkam Cheruvu - Ibrahimbagh Cheruvu - Musi River). This lake is adjoining the old Bombay highway.
Officials said that it has been a big task for the civic body to develop this water body as a tourist attraction as they had cleaned the hyacinth several times and then constructed sedimentation points. Inlets and outlets of the water body have been improved to keep it clean and neat.
Apart from restoration, the Malkam Cheruvu has come up with a host of facilities such as permanent lake boundary fencing with castIron grill, walking and cycling tracks development around the lake to a length of 2 km, plantation with landscaping, entry gateway with a transitional character between the urban and lake setting, nimajjan pond separately formed for keeping the lake intact.
This apart, facilities like integrated children play spaces, transplanted mature treeline boundary, xerophyte garden, view decks, physical fitness centres, amphitheatre, free play lawns, bridges and jetty area, bird island and others were provided.
Multiple facilities
Facilities like integrated children play spaces, transplanted mature treeline boundary, xerophyte garden, view decks, physical fitness centres, amphitheatre, free play lawns, bridges and jetty area, bird island and others have been provided