Hyderabad: A long-neglected historic lake in Hyderabad’s Old City returned to public life on Sunday evening as chief minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the restored Bum Rukn-ud-Dowla Lake, presenting it as part of a broader effort to revive the city’s lost heritage and water bodies. The chief minister said the restoration reflects the govt’s push to bring back the traditional lakes and ponds left behind by the Nizams of Hyderabad, while also creating cleaner public spaces and improving the urban environment.Speaking at the event, he said the project is part of the govt’s 99-day Praja Palana plan for urban development. The restored lake, he noted, is intended not only as a scenic space but also as a step toward reducing pollution, improving air quality and promoting healthier lifestyles for residents of the Old City. He praised the efforts of the GHMC and HYDRAA officials for transforming the lakefront into a public amenity.The CM also reflected on Hyderabad’s past, recalling how the city was once known as the “city of lakes and rocks.” He pointed out that the Nizams had developed several landmarks across the city, from Charminar and Golconda Fort to institutions such as Osmania University, Osmania General Hospital, the Assembly complex and Falaknuma Palace. He recalled that after the devastating 1908 Great Musi Floods, the Nizam administration invited engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya to help design systems that would provide safer urban planning and drinking water for the city.According to the chief minister, the state govt has taken up multiple restoration projects to revive this legacy. Alongside the lake redevelopment, the govt recently opened an eco park near Himayat Sagar in the Rajendranagar area. He also cited the restoration of Bathukamma Kunta, a historic water body where women once celebrated the Bathukamma festival before it was encroached upon.“The govt is also pursuing wider urban infrastructure projects in the Old City. Plans include extending the Hyderabad Metro Rail into the Old City, constructing a new high court complex nearby, and building a new Osmania Hospital facility in Goshamahal, while the historic Osmania hospital building will be renovated,” he said.To ensure public safety and community participation at the newly restored lake, Revanth Reddy suggested deploying lake policing so that women and families can use the area comfortably for morning and evening walks. He also directed officials to create small commercial stalls around the lake for women’s self-help groups, allowing them to sell groceries and vegetables and benefit from the emerging “lake economy.“He further highlighted the govt’s plan to revive the Musi River corridor. The project aims to develop economic activity along the riverbanks and promote a night-time economy in the Old City, where businesses are now permitted to operate until 1 am. The initiative, he said, is intended to generate employment opportunities, especially for youth.Addressing concerns about redevelopment, he said families who lose homes due to restoration or infrastructure projects would be compensated and rehabilitated nearby. He added that the govt would mobilise funds to restore the city’s historic character and undertake major projects such as flyovers and metro expansion.Meanwhile, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi thanked the chief minister for the lake restoration and urged the govt to revive more water bodies across the city. He also called for faster progress on a bridge project near Mir Alam Tank and improvements to stormwater drainage in Yakutpura, noting that metro expansion in the Old City is currently progressing on a fast track.
