HYDERABAD: The Kumandan Baoli stepwell in Gudimalkapur flower market, buried under debris, will soon be restored on the lines of the Bansilalpet and Gachibowli stepwells. The conservation project will be undertaken by Nirman NGO with CSR funding from the Indian School of Business (ISB), Gachibowli, at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore.
The GHMC Standing Committee has approved the revival plan, and the Khairatabad zonal commissioner will soon enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nirman. The stepwell, identified in Hyderabad’s 1913 municipal survey maps, was once part of the Jham Singh Venkateswara Swamy temple complex, built in 1810, and was used for temple rituals. Over time, it was filled with construction waste and repurposed for market stalls and parking.
GHMC has removed encroachments and excavated the well, revealing its original dimensions of 18 x 120 feet and a depth of 30 feet, with the structure lying about eight feet below ground. The first phase of the restoration will take 18 months, focusing on conservation, followed by beautification and maintenance.
The Agriculture Cooperative Marketing department has also approved the project, ensuring necessary permissions. GHMC officials believe the restored stepwell will not only support rainwater harvesting but also enhance the market with pathways, landscaping and parking, transforming it into a public recreational space.
Once completed, the stepwell and its surroundings will be maintained through community participation, ensuring sustainability while preserving this historic structure. The idea is, again, to sustain it with a partnership of the locals and instil in them a sense of ownership, officials said.