Hyderabad: Weed infestation mars scenic beauty of Durgam Cheruvu

Durgam Cheruvu, once a popular tourist attraction in Hyderabad’s IT corridor, is facing severe weed and algal infestation. Visitors have complained of foul smell and limited boating, blaming administrative inaction for the lake’s deteriorating condition.

Hyderabad: An otherwise picturesque Durgam Cheruvu in the heart of the bustling IT corridor of Hyderabad these days appears unsightly, presenting a picture of administrative apathy and neglect.

The calm and placid waters of the lake, which has emerged as one of the top destinations for tourists with the cable bridge that passes close to it, have been invaded by what appear to be weeds and algal bloom.

Such has been the unhealthy takeover that more than half of the water body is under a thick carpet of green growth, much to the dismay of scores of visitors along the lake shoreline and those trying to savour the sight from the cable bridge. Also, there is little left to enjoy for those seeking a boat ride here.

A few tourists who came to Durgam Cheruvu to spend their Sankranti holidays expressed anguish, reporting discomfort during boat rides and alleging that the boat owners took them only a short distance. The stench too has been a major put-off for them.

Failure on the part of the authorities concerned, including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), in ensuring the lake retains its pristine quality has been irksome for many. Standing along the pedestrian space on the cable bridge, a young Rajeshwar Reddy, who came along with his friends, says the lake was not this way when he visited a few months ago.

A resident of Kondapur, Hanumanthu, says he has been visiting Durgam Cheruvu since it was known as a ‘secret lake’, but never came across such bad conditions in the water body. “The weed started during the rains and continued to spread. Timely action and clearance would have helped in keeping the lake clean,” he rues.