Jalpally Lake faces fresh encroachment threat as debris dumping continues

Residents have alleged that truckloads of boulders and construction debris are being dumped into Hyderabad's historic Jalpally Lake every night for illegal land reclamation. Heritage activists and locals have urged authorities to remove encroachments and protect the shrinking freshwater lake.

Hyderabad: The centuries-old Jalpally Lake in Maheshwaram Assembly constituency is coming under increasing threat from encroachment, with residents alleging truckloads of boulders and construction debris are being dumped into the water body every night to reclaim land for real estate activity.

According to local residents, heavy vehicles enter the lake from Jalpally Cargo Road and Wadi-e-Mustafa side to unload boulders into the lake bed. “Every night, trucks carrying boulders dump debris into the lake. The objective is to reclaim the lake and convert it into plots for sale,” said Mohd. Yousuf, a community leader from Wadi-e-Mustafa in Jalpally.

---

Once spread over more than 250 acres, the lake has now shrunk to nearly half its original size because of years of encroachment.

Until a few years ago, Jalpally Lake was one of Hyderabad’s few relatively untouched freshwater lakes, popular among visitors and fishing enthusiasts. “The lake’s proximity to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has increased the value of the surrounding land, making it a target for encroachers,” said social worker Anil Goud.

The erstwhile Jalpally Municipality had proposed developing the lake into a Mini Tank Bund with walking tracks, landscaped surroundings, and recreational facilities. However, the project made little progress. The area has since been merged into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.

Heritage experts say the lake is several centuries old and forms part of an interconnected chain of water bodies linked to Umda Sagar and Palle Cheruvu. Several smaller tanks in the basin have disappeared over the years because of urban expansion and encroachment.

According to heritage activists, Jalpally Lake served as a source of drinking water during the Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi periods. Water from the lake was supplied to parts of the city through a network of dedicated channels.

“The lake remains one of Hyderabad’s few surviving freshwater lakes. Protecting it is important not only because of its historical significance but also for groundwater recharge and flood mitigation,” a heritage activist said.

People have urged the administration and irrigation authorities to conduct a comprehensive survey of the lake boundaries, remove encroachments, and prevent further dumping of debris to protect the water body.