17th-century stepwell in Hyderabad's Bansilalpet to be restored for inauguration on Independence Day

Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav has appealed to the people of the twin-cities to inform GHMC if they find any such heritage wells so that they could also be restored.
Workers restore the heritage stepwell at Bansilalpet, in Hyderabad on Thursday. (File photo | Express)
Workers restore the heritage stepwell at Bansilalpet, in Hyderabad on Thursday. (File photo | Express)

HYDERABAD: Telangana Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav has announced that the 17th Century stepwell being restored at Bansilalpet would be inaugurated on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15, 2022.

Addressing media after inspecting the restoration works being taken up at the open stepwell at Bansilalpet on Thursday, he said 2000 tonne debris was removed from the well to make the water clean, and that in the near future such stepwells in Hyderabad would be restored and promoted under the tourism circuit of Hyderabad to attract tourism.

Special Chief Secretary for MA&UD Arvind Kumar, has said this was the 6th stepwell being restored in recent times and that 20 more such wells have been identified for restoration in the city in the near future.

He has appealed to the people of the twin-cities to inform GHMC if they find any such heritage wells so that they could also be restored. He said restoration of heritage structures in the city was being taken up by the State government, keeping in mind the chance for the UNESCO tag for the city, and to tap into its heritage potential.

Kalpana Ramesh, Conservation Architect, who has been actively involved in the restoration of such stepwells, has said that there were 600 plus heritage wells in the state and 60-80 among them were in the twin cities.

She felt that their restoration could assure water security, help address the urban flooding problem, and bring groundwater pollution down.

Appreciating the support being given by the State government for restoring these wells, she has called upon NGOs and social enterprises to be actively involved in this initiative.

Bhagyamma, a senior citizen and a resident of Bansilalpet, who grew up playing near the stepwell, recalled how the degradation of the well had started after its water was connected to local toilets. She remembered that the stepwell was the main source of water for the area during the drought situation in 1972.

Calling the restoration effort nothing less than 'Jalayagnam' of the State government, she has appealed to the people of the locality to be responsible with civic sense and help in protecting and maintaining the stepwell in the future.

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