Published Nov 12, 2026 | 12:42 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2026 | 12:47 PM
Restored Thammidikunta lake in Hitec City (Source: HYDRAA)
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inaugurated the restored Thammidikunta lake in Hitec City on Wednesday, 11 November, and said work on the first phase of the Musi riverfront development project would begin shortly. The lake, which faces Shilparamam, had dwindled to 14 acres due to encroachments and has now been restored to 30 acres.
Thammidikunta is the fourth of six lakes in Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA)’s first phase of restoration to be inaugurated. Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur and Uppal’s Nalla Cheruvu are yet to open.
Before the clean-up, the lake was filled with sewage and was used to dump biomedical waste, HYDRAA said. It removed over 30,000 truckloads of silt, digging as deep as 15 feet, besides plastic and rubble. Sewage from surrounding areas, including hostels, now flows through a 1,200-mm pipeline instead.
HYDRAA said that rebuilt inlets and a restored outlet should ease waterlogging near Shilparamam, which earlier took in floodwater coming down from Madhapur and Kondapur. A sewage treatment plant has also been proposed to reduce the load reaching the Musi.
The Rs 20-crore development project includes a walkway around the lake, a rose garden, an outdoor gym, a children’s play zone, a yoga space, gazebos, fencing, a boundary wall along the Full Tank Level (FTL) and two entry gates.
The chief minister said that of the 1,372 lakes that once dotted the city, about half have vanished, leaving roads and colonies waterlogged during heavy rain.
He said the revived lake could become a major tourist draw, with attention shifting from Shilparamam, and called for a “lake economy” around it. He asked HYDRAA and the police to increase security, and said the auspicious ‘jammi’ tree would be planted on the premises so the lake can host Dasara celebrations.
On August 24, 2024, HYDRAA demolished actor Akkineni Nagarjuna’s N Convention, saying it stood within the lake’s FTL. A complaint had asked that the water body be brought back to its original 29.24 acres.
Nagarjuna, who was the guest of honour at last night’s event, had back then called the demolition unlawful. He said he had received no notice and maintained that the land was private. The Telangana High Court issued interim orders only after the building had been brought down.
Some of the land the convention centre occupied now falls within the lake. At the inauguration, Revanth Reddy appreciated Nagarjuna and said his “generous heart” led him to hand over two acres to the government, calling him an ‘off-screen’ hero.
Nagarjuna thanked the chief minister and HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath for the turnaround and said he would soon shoot a film at the lake.
“When I first met the HYDRAA Commissioner about this lake, I went in with some reservations. But he sat me down, explained the situation and convinced me. That’s when I decided this is what must be done for the city,” said Nagarjuna. He wished luck for the Musi restoration and hoped he would be invited to the inauguration of the project.
Referring to the Musi Riverfront Development Project, the chief minister said the river would get a complete clean-up and revival, not just beautification. The CM said pollution in the Musi had become a curse for people in Nalgonda district and Ibrahimpatnam.
Pointing to countries like South Korea, he said rivers more polluted than the Musi were developed there and night economies were set up.
Amid displacement concerns, the CM said it was his responsibility to ensure that nobody loses out because of the Musi project.
He said tenders would be called for phase 1 of the project, which spans 21 km of the total 55-km riverfront stretch planned for restoration. The state Cabinet approved the first phase on July 2 at an estimated Rs 7,345.12 crore.
The project has drawn opposition over ecological and displacement concerns. Musi Jan Andolan (MJA) called it a cosmetic urban project that focuses heavily on riverfront beautification rather than addressing pollution. It also criticised the length of the riverfront stretch included in the project, saying that partial rejuvenation of 55 km instead of complete restoration of the river may not help.
Citing filings with the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), MJA said that documents reportedly show 12,204 families facing displacement in the first phase of the project alone.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
