A National Dam Safety expert committee has praised the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) for its approach to restoring and protecting the city’s lakes, saying the model could be replicated in other parts of India.
The committee, headed by chairman Dr. Shailesh Kumar Srivastava, visited Fox Sagar Lake in Hyderabad and inspected its main bund, overall condition and safety concerns.
Officials briefed the panel on HYDRAA’s plans for Fox Sagar, which has a Full Tank Level area of 482.6 acres. The restoration plan focuses on protecting the lake’s boundaries, safeguarding public assets, preserving the surrounding environment and maintaining its water storage capacity.
Under HYDRAA’s Phase-3 lake restoration programme, authorities are also working to improve inlets and outlets that manage the movement of floodwater into and out of the lake. Lake bunds are being strengthened while retaining their natural characteristics.
The committee appreciated the effort to combine lake conservation, flood management, water storage and dam safety rather than treating them as separate issues.
The panel said HYDRAA’s approach of protecting the natural features of water bodies while improving their safety and water-management systems could provide a useful model for other cities and regions.
Hyderabad’s lake restoration strategy is being viewed as a potential national model for protecting urban water bodies while improving flood resilience, water storage and public safety.