61% of Hyderabad’s lake area shrunk in 44 years

HYDERABAD: Once a network of shimmering lakes, Hyderabad’s water bodies are now a shadow of their former selves, with urbanisation and unchecked real estate development taking their toll.

Recent data from the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) revealed a 61% reduction in city’s lake area between 1979 and 2023. The total area of the 56 lakes examined has shrunk from 40.35 square kilometres to just 16 square km.

Over 40 of 185 lakes dried up

The Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) paints an even grimmer picture. Of the city’s 185 notified lakes, nearly 40 have dried up, including Ibrahim Cheruvu, RK Puram lake, Umda Sagar, and Gurram Cheruvu. Over ten other lakes have become cesspools due to relentless sewage contamination.

For instance, the southern part of Hyderabad, home to the historic Bum Rukn-Ud-Daula lake in Shivrampally, exemplifies this decline. “Constructed in 1770, this lake originally spanned 104 acres and served as a reservoir for the royal family’s drinking water needs,” said heritage expert Haseeb Ahmed. During a recent visit, he noted that 70% of the lake has been encroached upon and neglected. HYDRA reclaimed seven acres by demolishing illegal structures around the lake.

The plight of Bum Rukn-Ud-Daula lake is not an isolated case. Pelle Cheruvu in Shamirpet, once a haven for fishermen, now faces extinction. “This lake was once a winter haven for migratory birds,” says Ishtiyaq Shareef, an environmentalist. Today, only 40% of this vital lake remains.

Decline of lakes is no secret

Shah Hatim Lake has also suffered, shrinking by 58%, now covering just 1.8 lakh square metres. The decline of lakes in the city is no secret. Environmentalists and locals have long warned of the shrinking lake beds sacrificed to encroachment and real estate ventures. “Entire Madhapur used to be a group of interconnected lakes. There was a reason Hyderabad was also known as the city of lakes,” said Anuradha Reddy, an expert on heritage water bodies.

The historic MaSaheba Tank, now Masab Tank, is a reminder of the city’s lost aquatic heritage. “Today, only a small portion of the lake persists, while the rest has been developed into residential areas,” she added.

Even old-timers recall many of the city’s now bustling localities, like Yousufguda and Banjara Hills, were once pristine lakes. Picket lake has been replaced by the Jubilee Bus Station, and Singoh Lake, now beneath the zoo park, exacerbates monsoon flooding. Lakes like Afzal Sagar and Talab Patta, once vibrant ecosystems, now exist in memory.

Battling these for decades

Environmentalists like BV Subba Rao, who has been battling encroachments and sewage contamination for decades, lament that “The issues we fought 40 years ago are the same ones we are battling today. Despite numerous cases and PILs in the National Green Tribunal and courts, the judiciary’s recommendations have largely gone unheeded. The situation remains unchanged for many lakes, including Durgam Cheruvu, Khajaguda lake, Mir Alam Tank, and Bathukamma lake.”


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