Hyderabad: Errakunta Lake facelift works at a snail's pace

Rajendranagar: Despite tall claims of the Irrigation officials that the Errakunta Lake beautification work at Laxmiguda, under Rajendranagar limits, will be completed soon, nothing has been happening on the ground even after two years. Much of the Rs.60-lakh project work is moving at a snail's pace. After the project was grounded in 2019, the work was started again only two weeks back.

The Errakunta lake is spread around eight acres, with four acres of water spread area as per official records. The water body stands close to another lake, Bulbul Kunta, which too covers over four acres in Laxmiguda. MarshabaiKunta, Noor Mohammed Kunta, Suleman Kunta and Palle Cheruvu are the other four lakes of the same water channel that drives through neighbouring Kattedan area.

Around 900 metres of fencing and 200 metres of walking track have been proposed under the Errakunta lake beautification project of which only 40 percent work has been completed so far. A major part is still pending.

When contacted, an Irrigation official reluctantly provided half-baked info about the beautification saying that the project is now moving ahead. "Nearly 40 per cent of the work has been done so far. The remaining will be completed in next two months. The fencing works have almost been completed. Land-filling has been taken up for the walking track around the lake," he informed.

Affirming that the project got delayed due to some local issues, he said: "Many of the hurdles in executing the project have been cleared. The work is going on seamlessly. If everything goes accordingly and the work moves at a similar pace, the project will be completed in next two month," he asserted.

The project has already consumed much time to reach this point after it was grounded two years back. Earlier, officials claimed that the project will be completed on a war-footing to pave the way for a beautiful lake featuring a walking track and greenery. However, despite the claims, not more than 40 per cent work has been completed so far, while only fencing work could be seen around the lake that take almost two years to complete," rued N Venkatesh, a local resident.

Only the Irrigation officials can tell how much more time the project will take to get into full shape. The work is being done with lacklustre approach. This is evident with the pace of work, said Mushtaq, another resident.