Hyderabad: Just before the upcoming Bathukamma festival, the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRA) has started development work at Bathukamma Kunta in Amberpet. This comes after the City Civil Court gave the green light for restoration.
On Wednesday, HYDRA Commissioner AV Ranganath held a special puja at the site to mark the beginning of the work. He asked officials to speed up the restoration, development, and beautification of the tank so it can be ready in time for the festival. He also encouraged local residents to support the project, and they promised to fully cooperate.
This progress follows a major court decision in HYDRA’s favor. A civil suit filed by Y Sudhakar Reddy, who claimed ownership of the land, was dismissed. The court ruled that Bathukamma Kunta is a heritage site, not private property. The decision was based on revenue records, village maps, satellite images, and Survey of India data provided by HYDRA’s legal team.
HYDRA officials said the court’s decision has cleared all legal obstacles, allowing the work to move forward without delays. Commissioner Ranganath praised the legal team for their efforts, including standing counsel members K Anil Kumar, S Srinivas, B Ajay, government advocate B Janardhan, inspector Mohan, and legal advisor Srinivas.
In addition to Bathukamma Kunta, HYDRA has started work on restoring five other lakes: Sunnam Cheruvu, Tammidikunta Cheruvu, Kukatpally Nallacheruvu, Uppal Nallacheruvu, and Bum-Rukh-Ud-Daula Lake.
These projects are part of HYDRA’s first phase of lake restoration, with a total budget of ₹58.50 crore. Funding is provided by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Work at Bathukamma Kunta had originally started on February 18. Early digging revealed water under the tank bed, proving that it is still an active water body.
