Once choked with debris, 16-acre Nalla Cheruvu in Hyderabad’s Kukatpally restored to 28-acre lake

With efforts from the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), the Nalla Cheruvu of Kukatpally, once choked with debris and encroachments, has been restored into a 28-acre lake within just four months, a statement from HYDRAA informed.

From a polluted dumping ground, the lake has now become a scenic water body filled with rainwater, attracting residents for boating, walking, and recreation, it said.

Commissioner, HYDRAA, A.V.Ranganath, who inspected the lake on Thursday (August 21), said the project reflects the government’s mission to link and revive lakes to mitigate floods and recharge groundwater. Community halls and multipurpose facilities are also being developed to turn the lake into a social and ecological hub, he said.

Earlier reduced to 16 acres due to encroachments, the lake was cleared of 16 illegal sheds, and decades of silt and construction debris. It was deepened by four meters, and provided new inlets and outlets in order to control the flooding of the colonies nearby. The silt was used to create islands which would sustain biodiversity, Mr. Ranganath informed. A 1.5 km pathway now accommodates nearly 600 walkers daily, the statement said.

HYDRAA has taken up six lakes for revival, of which Bathukamma Kunta and Nalla Cheruvu projects have been completed. Bam Rukn Ud Daula, Tammidi Kunta, Sunnam Cheruvu and Nalla Cheruvu of Uppal are four more lakes in the pipeline, after which 13 more lakes will be taken up, the HYDRAA Commissioner added.