Holistic Transformation of Hussain Sagar Lake- An HMDA-led Initiative in Partnership with WRI India and DESMI

Over the years, the iconic lake has been adversely impacted by solid waste that flows from three inlet nalas (drains).

WRI India Ross Center has been assisting the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD), Government of Telangana in developing a restoration action plan for the holistic transformation of the iconic Hussain Sagar lake with the ambition to bring back clean water, biodiversity and people. From ideation to high-level techno-investment pitch development, we also assisted the authorities in a strategic technical advisory capacity during the critical process of raising the investment needed (~ $125 million) to implement the suggested action plans of this transformative urban water resilience project.

Samrat Basak, Director – Urban Water, WRI India says – ‘WRI India kickstarted one of India’s most advanced and fully automatic floating solid waste cleanup system in one of the inlet channels of Hussain sagar lake located in Hyderabad.’

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), recently entered into a tripartite partnership with WRI India and DESMI for the installation of an automated floating solid waste clean-up system. The system, set up in the Picket Nala (drain) near Ramgopalpet Police Station, Minister Road, Hyderabad (17.441264, 78.478631), arrests and removes floating solid waste from the waterbody, thereby, prevents it from polluting the Hussain Sagar Lake.

Within just three days of the launch, more than one tonne of floating plastic, rubber, glass bottles and debris was cleared. The one tonne of waste collected in three days included alcohol bottles, cracked plastic bottles, mugs, buckets, toys, boxes, water bottles, automobile parts, chip packets, chocolate wrappers, biscuit packets, balls, shoes, slippers, thermocol, rags, etc.

Waste that finds its way into lakes impacts biodiversity and harms animals, fish and birds. Choked and polluted inlets to water bodies also add to a city’s flooding woes. The floating solid waste clean-up system addresses one of our most pressing urban challenges today. By preventing the inflow of solid waste, the system has its potential to transform our critically polluted water bodies. The Picket Nala boom barriers is a pilot project that has potential and it can easily by replicated and scaled across other cities and states.