HYDERABAD: Several of Hyderabad’s once-polluted lakes, surrounded by garbage, sewage and overgrown vegetation, are getting a new lease of life with restoration works turning them into cleaner public spaces.
Three restored lakes have already been opened to the public, while Nalla Cheruvu, Thammidikunta and Sunnam Cheruvu are being readied for inauguration by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy by the end of this month.
The rejuvenated water bodies are being equipped with walking tracks, gazebos, seating areas and other amenities, making them suitable for exercise, recreation and leisure. The restoration is also being seen as an effort to reclaim neglected urban water bodies and improve their role in flood management and public recreation.
Uppal Nalla Cheruvu is among the prominent examples of lake restoration. The waterbody, which had shrunk to 52.30 acres due to encroachments, has now been expanded to 67.31 acres by HYDRAA.
A 2.4-km bund and walking track have been developed around the lake, along with gazebos and seating areas. Inlet channels have been developed to facilitate the flow of rainwater into the lake, while the outlet system has been improved to prevent overflowing water from posing a flood threat to surrounding areas.
HYDRAA has also removed encroachments from the lake and its buffer areas as part of the restoration.
HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath inspected the development works at Thammidikunta and Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur on Saturday.
At Thammidikunta, accumulated bio-waste and sewage have been cleared, with restoration works taken up to transform the area.
During the inspection, officials informed Ranganath that units collecting and segregating plastic waste were operating on the side towards Metal Charminar. The Pollution Control Board had reportedly warned that the activity could pose a pollution threat to the lake.
Ranganath directed officials to immediately remove the plastic waste collection and segregation centres from the area to prevent further pollution.
He also inspected the surroundings of Sunnam Cheruvu and suggested setting up a viewpoint on the bund. He directed officials to increase greenery around the lake and improve the surroundings for visitors.
Earlier, Ranganath inspected Krishna Kanth Park lake, one of the 14 water bodies taken up for restoration in the second phase.
He said increasing the depth and spread of the lake would enhance its capacity to hold floodwater.
Directing stormwater into the lake, he said, could substantially reduce flooding in Krishna Nagar and Yousufguda, as well as downstream areas including Srinivasa Nagar and Ameerpet.
