Revanth Reddy hails HYDRAA's Uppal Nalla Cheruvu revival
Synopsis
Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy on 1 August 2026 lauded HYDRAA officials for reviving Uppal Nalla Cheruvu in Hyderabad, calling lake protection a duty to future generations and pledging to safeguard every inch of public land.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy visited the revived Uppal Nalla Cheruvu in Hyderabad on 1 August 2026 and expressed 'immense satisfaction' at the transformation.
HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency) led the round-the-clock restoration effort and received the CM's 'heartfelt congratulations'.
The revival is framed under HYDRAA's CURE urban rejuvenation framework, which targets reclaiming encroached public assets including lake beds.
CM Revanth Reddy described lake protection as 'securing the future of generations to come', not merely a water-resource exercise.
The government pledged to continue protecting 'every lake' and 'every inch of public property' across Hyderabad.
A lake once swallowed by encroachments is breathing again — and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy wants the city to take notice. On Saturday, 1 August 2026, the Chief Minister visited the revived Uppal Nalla Cheruvu in Hyderabad and credited the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA) for the transformation, calling it a source of deep personal satisfaction.
Uppal Nalla Cheruvu: from encroachment to revival
Posting in Telugu on X, CM Revanth Reddy wrote: 'చెరువుల పునరుజ్జీవంతో రూపురేఖలు మారుతున్న మన హైదరాబాద్ను చూడటం నాకెంతో సంతృప్తినిచ్చింది' — 'Seeing our Hyderabad transform with the revival of lakes gives me immense satisfaction.' He praised HYDRAA officials and staff who worked round the clock on the Uppal Nalla Cheruvu restoration, extending his 'heartfelt congratulations' to the entire team.
The Chief Minister framed the project in terms that go well beyond water management: 'Protecting lakes is not merely about saving water resources — it is also about securing the future of generations to come.' Every inch of public land, he said, would be protected and preserved.
HYDRAA's expanding mandate in Hyderabad
HYDRAA — the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency — was established by the Telangana government to reclaim encroached public assets, including lakes, parks, and government land across the city. The agency has drawn attention for its aggressive anti-encroachment drives, demolishing illegal structures on lake beds and buffer zones. The Uppal Nalla Cheruvu revival is among the more visible outcomes of that mandate.
CM Revanth Reddy noted that HYDRAA is 'curing' Hyderabad within its CURE framework — an urban rejuvenation lens the agency applies to reclaiming and restoring civic assets. The wordplay in his post — 'HYDRAA పరిధిని క్యూర్ చేసుకుంటూ' (HYDRAA curing its own jurisdiction) — underlines the government's intent to position lake restoration as a public-health and ecological imperative, not just an administrative exercise.
Lakes as legacy, not just resource
Hyderabad's historic lake network, once numbering in the hundreds, has shrunk dramatically over decades of rapid urbanisation. Encroachments on lake beds and buffer zones have been blamed for worsening urban flooding, falling groundwater tables, and the loss of biodiversity corridors. The Telangana government's push through HYDRAA to reverse this trend is being watched as a test of whether a state agency can hold the line against powerful real-estate interests.
For CM Revanth Reddy, Saturday's visit was as much a political signal as an inspection — a public commitment that the Congress-led government will pursue lake protection as a flagship urban legacy. 'We will move forward protecting every lake, safeguarding every inch of public property,' he wrote.
If HYDRAA can sustain this pace across Hyderabad's remaining lakes, the city's skyline may not be the only thing that changes — its water table might too.
Point of View
Which the Telangana Congress government has staked significant political capital on. By personally visiting and amplifying the project on social media, CM Revanth Reddy is anchoring the Congress brand in Hyderabad to urban ecology — a terrain that resonates with middle-class voters worried about flooding and groundwater depletion. The CURE framing also signals an attempt to institutionalise lake revival beyond individual demolition drives, though the real test will be whether restored lakes are protected from re-encroachment once political attention moves on.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HYDRAA and what does it do in Hyderabad?
HYDRAA stands for Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency, set up by the Telangana government to reclaim encroached public assets — including lake beds, parks, and government land — and restore them for public use.
What is Uppal Nalla Cheruvu and why was it revived?
Uppal Nalla Cheruvu is a lake in the Uppal area of Hyderabad that had suffered from encroachments. HYDRAA undertook its revival to restore the water body, improve local ecology, and reclaim public land.
What did CM Revanth Reddy say about the lake revival?
CM Revanth Reddy said seeing Hyderabad transform through lake revival gave him 'immense satisfaction' and stated that protecting lakes means 'securing the future of generations to come', not just saving water resources.
What is the CURE framework mentioned by Revanth Reddy?
CURE is an urban rejuvenation framework under which HYDRAA operates to reclaim and restore civic assets across Hyderabad, including lakes and public lands affected by illegal encroachments.
How many lakes does Hyderabad have and are they under threat?
Hyderabad historically had hundreds of lakes, but rapid urbanisation has significantly reduced their number and health. Encroachments on lake beds and buffer zones have worsened urban flooding and depleted groundwater, making restoration drives like HYDRAA's critical.
