Bansilalpet stepwell helps alleviate flooding in low-lying areas around Hussainsagar

The stepwell, which remained buried under a pile of trash and debris for long, was unearthed last year and renovated to its former glory, bringing hope for a more sustainable future.

Hyderabad: The restoration of the Bansilalpet stepwell in Hyderabad is proving to be a game-changer in reducing urban flooding around the well catchment and low-lying areas of Hussain Sagar.

The stepwell, which remained buried under a pile of trash and debris for long, was unearthed last year and renovated to its former glory, bringing hope for a more sustainable future.

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In a tweet, Kalpana Ramesh, founder of The Rainwater Project, who was also part of the restoration project, said if the Bansilalpet stepwell had not been opened, the low-lying areas at Hussain Sagar would still be prone to flooding during heavy rains.

Due to an overburdened weathered zone, the floodwater from Hussain Sagar used to inundate low-lying areas, making life difficult for the residents. However, with the renovation of the stepwell, the floodwater now flows into the stepwell instead of flooding the low-lying areas.

The Bansilalpet stepwell, built during the Qutb Shahi dynasty in the 16th century, has an annual rainwater potential of 35 lakh litres. The renovated structure serves as a natural recharge pit, allowing rainwater to percolate into the ground instead of running off into Hussain Sagar Lake. This water-harvesting system ensures that the groundwater levels are recharged, reducing the risk of waterlogging and flooding in the surrounding areas.

Kalpana Ramesh also tweeted that the restoration of such stepwells is crucial in today’s times as they are readily available structures made in perfect strong discharge/recharge zones. This can help improve local water security by improving the quality and quantity of groundwater in borewells. Additionally, the stepwell captures a huge amount of rainwater, which helps mitigate flooding.