Hyderabad’s Kapra Lake revival has received a significant boost after local farmers voluntarily agreed to hand over 70 acres within the lake’s Full Tank Level area, while approximately 60% of the ₹35-crore development project has been completed, according to the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA).
The lake, located in north-east Hyderabad, is being rejuvenated under the second phase of HYDRAA’s initiative to restore water bodies across the city. The project covers the lake’s 112.80-acre Full Tank Level area and is intended to strengthen its role as a wetland, flood buffer and habitat for aquatic and migratory species.
The 70 acres were owned by local farmers and fall within the lake’s Full Tank Level. According to a note issued by HYDRAA, the farmers met agency Commissioner A. V. Ranghanath and submitted letters of consent to voluntarily hand over the land for the project. The development is significant because land ownership within lake boundaries can affect the scale and continuity of urban water-body restoration work.
HYDRAA said Kapra Lake has been identified as a wetland of significance and provides habitat for more than 470 species of migratory birds arriving from Australia, Europe and other parts of the world. The agency’s account places the lake within a wider natural ecosystem that supports biodiversity and helps retain water during heavy rainfall.
The restoration work is designed to address several functions associated with urban wetlands. HYDRAA said the project includes flood mitigation during heavy rains, groundwater recharge, habitat creation for fish, birds, amphibians and other aquatic life, biodiversity preservation, and the natural filtration of pollutants and impurities through desilting.
The agency also linked the lake’s restoration to the maintenance of climatic and environmental balance in the surrounding area. In a city where water bodies are part of the drainage and ecological network, the stated objectives extend beyond improving the lake’s appearance or creating a public amenity. They include preserving its capacity to store water and support habitats.
Kapra Lake is one of 14 lakes being developed during the second phase of HYDRAA’s water-body rejuvenation initiative. The agency has not provided, in the statement cited in the report, a separate completion date for the Kapra Lake project or a detailed breakdown of the ₹35-crore expenditure.
With the project reported to be 60% complete and the land consent process covering 70 acres, the next stage will involve continuing the planned development and ecological restoration works within the lake’s Full Tank Level area. HYDRAA’s stated priorities remain flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, desilting and the protection of the lake’s biodiversity.
