The Telangana government has approved the setting up of a task force – the ‘Gandipet Lake Development Task Force’ – for the beautification of the Osman Sagar Lake, also known as the Gandipet Lake, at a cost of Rs 100 crores. The task force will be set up under the aegis of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), involving tourism, revenue and irrigation departments, the Water Board, the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Ltd (TSSPDCL) and social forestry, principal secretary, municipal administration, Arvind Kumar said.
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The HMDA will come out with an action plan to make the lake a perennial source of drinking water. Further, while developing an eco-friendly recreational tourist destination, the HMDA shall incorporate the latest and best components available world over and would integrate with nature and green cover seamlessly, he said. The HMDA has proposed to make the Osman Sagar Lake a holiday destination for tourists, without compromising on the water quality and without taking up any activity which will affect the quality of the water body directly or indirectly.
“Initially it is proposed to take up the walking track, cycling track, road formation, chain link mesh fencing, street lighting, shoreline strengthening and landscaping around the periphery of Osman Sagar for a length of 25 kms,” he said. “Once these works are taken up commercially, viable components such as revolving restaurant, cable car, house boats, night camping area, food courts, etc., on public-private partnership or lease mode will be taken up,” said the principal secretary.
