Delhi civic team praises HYDRAA’s Bathukamma Kunta restoration model

Hyderabad: A delegation from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) lauded HYDRAA for its swift and effective restoration of Bathukamma Kunta at Amberpet, calling for similar bodies to be established in every State to protect water bodies from encroachments.

From garbage dump to model lake

The team, led by MCD Horticulture Department head Dr Ashish, toured Bathukamma Kunta on Tuesday evening. Once a dumping ground for garbage and construction debris, the site has now been transformed into a scenic lake in just three months.

The officials said the transformation has become a talking point at the national level.

Technical inspection of water flow systems

The visiting team examined the lake’s inlets and outlets, including a specially designed inlet that channels only floodwater from a nearby drainage channel into the lake. HYDRAA officials presented videos showing how water flowed into the lake during recent heavy rains.

Flood risk reduced for locals

Interacting with residents, the Delhi officials learnt that, before the lake’s restoration, floodwaters used to inundate surrounding slums and colonies. This year, thanks to the lake’s water retention capacity, the flooding threat was averted.

National need for HYDRAA-like bodies

Dr Ashish said that many lakes in Delhi are under encroachment and that an agency like HYDRAA would make restoration and conservation efforts more efficient. He added that Bathukamma Kunta’s success story shows how professional intervention can revive degraded urban water bodies.

HYDRAA officials Mohan Rao and Balagopal, Vimos Technocrat MD P. Yunus (who is overseeing lake development), as well as representatives from HMDA and ASCI, joined the Delhi team during the inspection.