Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao laid the foundation stone on Wednesday for a cable suspension bridge across Durgam Cheruvu in Hyderabad.
Aiming to ease traffic congestion, the bridge will be constructed from the main entrance of Ambedkar Open University at Jubilee Hills Road No 45 to the junction near Inorbit Mall.
According to reports, the project will cost Rs 184 crore, and is expected to be completed by February 2019.
The Durgam Cheruvu was once, one of the largest lakes in the Cyberabad area. However, today it is a stinking mess, covered with water hyacinth, and stagnating garbage. There have also been several unchecked encroachments on the lake.
The Minister along with other senior officials, also laid the foundation stone for the Durgam Cheruvu Development project, which plans to rejuvenate the lake.
KTR also promised that the lake would be developed as a tourism spot by establishing a cycling track and a jogging track among other things.
He also said that there was a plan to build an amphitheatre, without disturbing the natural rock formations near the lake.
Minister @KTRTRS MP @VishweshwarRed1 @CommissionrGHMC laid foundation stone for Cable Bridge on Durgam Cheruvu pic.twitter.com/nqsCzI4lV8
— Min IT, Telangana (@MinIT_Telangana) April 26, 2017
Ministers @KTRTRS Mahender Reddy MP @VishweshwarRed1 also laid foundation stone for comprehensive Durgam Cheruvu Development project pic.twitter.com/2EhnVenGgm
— Min IT, Telangana (@MinIT_Telangana) April 26, 2017
Minister @KTRTRS addressing the gathering after laying foundation stone for Cable Bridge & Durgam Cheruvu Development project pic.twitter.com/GC7jPjnclO
— Min IT, Telangana (@MinIT_Telangana) April 26, 2017
The lake is also known as the 'secret lake', as it was naturally hidden between rocks, with Jubilee Hills on one side and Madhapur on the other.
The originally 150-acre Durgam Cheruvu is said to have been built somewhere between 1518 and 1687 by the Qutb Shahi kings to supply water needs for the residents of the Golconda fort.
The lake which was blue and scenic then, is now algae-ridden and emits a foul smell caused by effluents discharged into it.