Hyderabad: The first phase of lake restoration by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) is nearing completion. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to inaugurate the final three lakes, where the work involved much controversy, once the finishing works are done. HYDRAA said it plans to open all three before the end of 2026, with Sunnam Cheruvu planned for the first week of November.
The first phase covered six lakes: Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla lake in Rajendranagar, Nalla Cheruvu in Kukatpally, Nalla Cheruvu in Uppal, Bathukammakunta in Amberpet, Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur and Thammidikunta in Hitec City. Revanth Reddy has already inaugurated the work at Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla lake, Kukatpally’s Nalla Cheruvu and Bathukammakunta.
Final beautification works are now underway at Sunnam Cheruvu, Thammidikunta and Uppal’s Nalla Cheruvu. The works are being carried out under the supervision of HYDRAA commissioner A. V. Ranganath and the local municipal zonal commissioners. HYDRAA also said the second phase of lake restorations is underway, with works at multiple lakes.
Thammidikunta is among the most controversial encroachment reclamation activities taken up by HYDRAA. The agency demolished alleged encroachments raised by actor Nagarjuna’s N Convention on the lake land. HYDRAA then restored the lake and expanded it from 14 acres to 29 acres. The agency said the reclaimed 15 acres of prime land was valued at over ₹2,000 crore, with a square yard valued at upwards of ₹3 lakh.
Madhapur’s Sunnam Cheruvu was riddled with encroachments and unauthorised constructions. Authorities, speaking with Deccan Chronicle, said they demolished more than 35 structures raised on the full tank level and buffer zones around the lake. After the demolition, HYDRAA began restoration, but miscreants drained the lake by installing illegal borewells and pumps around it. The agency removed illegal pumps during the initial drive, but more were installed. Authorities recently acted again and removed more than 25 borewells around the lake.
Before HYDRAA stepped in, Uppal’s Nalla Cheruvu was an unofficial dumping ground for local residents and trash collectors. The agency removed commercial encroachments on 10 acres of the lake and began restoring it to 67.31 acres. HYDRAA built two inlets to channel floodwater from Nacharam Lake and nearby areas into the lake, and upgraded the outlet to release excess water into the Musi River. The lake received large volumes of rainwater during the monsoons in August, and it has become an important floodwater storage point.
