Telangana Government Approves ₹228 Crore to Restore Four Hyderabad Lakes

On July 13, 2026, the State government of Telangana approved ₹228 crore for the first phase of development and restoration of four major lakes within the Outer Ring Road in Hyderabad. The restoration project covers Fox Sagar in Jeedimetla, Ameenpur Lake, Amber Cheruvu in Nizampet, and Saroornagar Lake.

The funding was sanctioned following a comprehensive proposal worth ₹536.5 crore submitted by the Hyderabad Disaster Response & Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The initiative aims to rehabilitate and protect more than 1,200 acres of Full Tank Level (FTL) area spread across these four water bodies.

According to the action plan submitted by HYDRAA, the development will be executed in phases. The newly approved ₹228 crore grant is specifically allocated for 'core items' to be addressed in the first phase. The second phase of the project, which involves 'non-core items,' carries an estimated cost of ₹147.5 crore. The final phase will focus on beautification works, with an estimated budget of ₹161 crore.

Of the total proposed budget of ₹536.5 crore, a significant portion is dedicated to two specific water bodies. A total of ₹349 crore has been earmarked exclusively for the restoration of Fox Sagar in Jeedimetla and Ameenpur Lake.

The proposals underwent a multi-layered evaluation process before being approved. The Metropolitan Commissioner of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) first vetted the plans and subsequently referred them to IIT-Hyderabad for independent technical scrutiny and evaluation.

Following their review, IIT-Hyderabad certified that the provisions and cost estimates detailed in the proposals are fully necessary and justified for the execution of the restoration works. The official government orders specified that the expenditure for this initial phase will be drawn from HMDA funds.

Alongside the lake development budget, the state government issued a separate order sanctioning an additional ₹12.5 crore in financial assistance to HYDRAA.