Archive · 3 Oct 2026
Hyderabad Begins Restoration of Nizam-Era Stepwell
A very old stepwell in Hyderabad is being repaired.
It is near Bum-Rukn-Ud-Daula lake in Shivarampally.
The work is being done by HYDRAA and is expected to take two to three months.
The goal is to help the stepwell hold water again, support groundwater and protect an old way of managing water.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy asked for the historic structure to be revived after visiting the lake on March 8.
The lake is believed to have been built around 1770, when Sikandar Jah was the Nizam.
Historical accounts say plants around the lake helped filter its water before it reached the stepwell.
Some accounts say the water was valued for its cleanliness and medicinal properties.
HYDRAA has begun restoring a century-old baoli near Bum-Rukn-Ud-Daula lake in Shivarampally, Hyderabad.
The project is intended to revive the heritage structure, recharge groundwater and preserve traditional water-management practices.
Work is expected to take two to three months and is being undertaken by Vimos Technocrats.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy called for the stepwell’s revival during a lake visit on March 8, after HYDRAA Commissioner AV Ranganath brought it to his attention.
Historical accounts date the lake to around 1770, during the reign of Nizam Sikandar Jah, and describe water reaching the stepwell through the embankment and vegetation.
- Who
- HYDRAA and Vimos Technocrats are undertaking the restoration; Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy called for it.
- What
- Restoration of a century-old baoli, or stepwell.
- When
- Work began after the Chief Minister's March 8 visit and is expected to take two to three months.
- Where
- Near Bum-Rukn-Ud-Daula lake in Shivarampally, Hyderabad.
- Why
- To revive the heritage structure, recharge groundwater and preserve traditional water-management practices.
Restoration rationale
Historical accounts
Purpose and heritage value
Restoration rationale
The project aims to restore the stepwell, help recharge groundwater and preserve traditional water-management practices.
Historical accounts
Historical accounts describe the stepwell as part of a water system in which water passed through the lake embankment and surrounding vegetation; they also say the water was valued for cleanliness and medicinal properties.
- Structure
- A century-old baoli, or stepwell
- Location
- Near Bum-Rukn-Ud-Daula lake, Shivarampally, Hyderabad
- Restoration agency
- Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA)
- Restoration contractor
- Vimos Technocrats
- Expected duration
- Two to three months
- Lake construction estimate
- Historical accounts place construction around 1770
- Historical ruler
- Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam