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Telangana CM inaugurates Nizam-era lake after restoration
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy reopened the historic Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla lake after restoration, promoting it as a community asset and ecological space.
Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday formally opened the Bum-Rukh-ud-Dowla, a 256-year-old historic waterbody at Shivarampally in the old city of Hyderabad, for the public after a drive was undertook to restore the lake in the evening on the same day.
The restoration was carried out by the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA), a specialised agency created by the state government to reclaim public land and rejuvenate Hyderabad’s rapidly shrinking water bodies in the city.
Inaugurating the lake campus, designed with landscaped gardens and a Persian-style welcoming arch, the chief minister said restored lakes should function not only as water storage systems but also as vibrant ecological and recreational spaces.
He proposed developing “night economy hubs” near such lakes by allocating shops exclusively to women’s self-help groups (SHGs). According to the proposal, SHG members could operate these outlets until 1 am, creating safe public spaces while generating livelihood opportunities for women.
He said Hyderabad would lose its glory if the encroached lakes, ponds and parks were not restored. “We are restoring the historic lakes which had been subject to encroachment over the last several decades. We have already started the Himayat Sagar Eco Park as part of providing a pollution-free environment,” he said.
What is Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla lake?
According to heritage conservationist of Hyderabad Mohammad Safiullah, Bum-Rukn-ud-Dowla lake has a history dating back more than two centuries.
“The word “bum” means a “spring” or reservoir in Persian. The water body was constructed around 1770 during the reign of the Nizam by Nawab Rukn-ud-Dowla, who served as the Diwan (prime minister) under Nizam Ali Khan (Asaf Jah II),” he said.
Originally spread over more than 100 acres, it was serving as an important source of irrigation and drinking water for the royal families, besides surrounding villages. The lake gradually deteriorated over the decades due to urban expansion, sewage inflows and widespread encroachments. Planning authorities had later fixed its area at around 17.05 acres, but illegal constructions reduced the water spread to just 4.12 acres, the conservationist said.
“Even during the period of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, water from this lake was supplied to the royal family through air-tight containers,” he said.
Following instructions from the Revanth Reddy government last year, HYDRAA launched restoration works after clearing encroachments from the lake’s full tank level (FTL) and buffer zones. Illegal structures occupying notified land were removed during eviction drives carried out in August last year.
The rejuvenation programme included de-silting the lake bed, strengthening the bund, improving water inlets and outlets, and developing landscaped surroundings. Public amenities such as walking tracks, green spaces and recreational areas have been created to transform the lake into a community asset.
“Following restoration works, the water spread has been significantly expanded. What had earlier become a 4.12-acre cell pool has now been restored to about 17 acres, with improved storage capacity and better water circulation. The lake’s catchment area extends over about 2.02 square kilometres, with a periphery of roughly 1,025 metres and a shoreline of about 928 metres,” HYDRAA commissioner A V Ranganath said.
Officials said the revived lake will also serve as a crucial flood-mitigation structure. Rainwater from Rajendranagar, Aramghar and nearby areas — covering a catchment of nearly 10 kilometres — will be channelled into the lake, helping reduce flood risks in surrounding localities.
