Hyderabad's Centuries-Old Lake Revived: HYDRAA Battles Encroachment to Preserve History

As of November 14, 2025, the Bam Rukn-ud-Dowlah lake in Hyderabad has been revived after facing years of encroachment and neglect. The lake, which dates back to 1770 when it was constructed by Nawab Musa Khan Rukn-ud-Dowlah, had endured the full fury of illegal construction and sewage discharge, threatening to erase its historical legacy.

However, the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has stepped in to reclaim the lake. In August 2024, HYDRAA demolished multi-story structures that had been illegally built on the lake bed, clearing over 233 acres of encroached land across 39 lakes in the city.

At Bam Rukn-ud-Dowlah, HYDRAA's restoration efforts have been extensive. They have removed five meters of silt, transported 9,000 truckloads of debris, and created a sewage diversion channel to prevent further pollution. The lake's capacity has been increased from 8 million liters to 108 million liters, and its natural inflows have been restored through the creation of seven to eight new inlets.

HYDRAA's approach differs from past restoration attempts, focusing on reviving the lake's entire ecosystem rather than just the government-owned portions. The agency is also working to bring private landowners on board through Transferable Development Rights, a strategy that has historically been a major obstacle.

While the restoration has faced some criticism, with allegations of selective demolitions and lack of transparency, HYDRAA remains optimistic that three of the six lakes it has taken up, including Bam Rukn-ud-Dowlah, will be opened to the public by the end of this year. The revival of this centuries-old lake stands as a testament to the agency's determination to preserve Hyderabad's rich historical legacy.