The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has formally written to the state government requesting the deletion of the Rs14.13-crore Lendi Talao rejuvenation project from the AMRUT 2.0 scheme. The civic body cited its inability to execute the work due to extensive encroachments surrounding the historic waterbody.
This decision comes despite the fact that funds had already been sanctioned for the project. It underscores the persistent challenges that have hampered efforts to revive one of Central Nagpur's largest lakes. Civic officials confirmed that the project has remained at a standstill, with physical progress recorded at zero percent. This stagnation forced the administration to seek its removal from the centrally sponsored scheme.
According to officials, approximately 184 notices have been issued to residents who are alleged to have encroached upon portions of the lake and its catchment area. Until these encroachments are cleared, the civic body cannot gain access for essential restoration activities such as dewatering, desilting, and other rejuvenation measures.
Officials further revealed that nearly 40 to 42 houses are discharging sewage directly into the lake, compounding the difficulty of restoration efforts. Preliminary attempts to dewater the lake were abandoned after authorities found that sewage and water inflows exceeded the capacity of the pumps deployed at the site. The contractor engaged for the project also expressed reservations about the feasibility of executing the work under the prevailing conditions.
Sources indicated that the NMC had planned to undertake restoration on the lines of Naik Talao, where successful rejuvenation transformed the waterbody and its surroundings. However, the lack of site access and continued encroachments prevented the civic body from moving beyond the planning stage.
The lake's shrinking footprint has long been a matter of concern. After the NMC sought possession of the waterbody for rejuvenation, the district administration handed over the entire 28.5-acre lake area to the civic body in June 2018. The handover came with strict instructions that the land should not be divided, leased, or used for any other purpose.
However, a 2019 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) revealed that 67,490 square meters, or nearly 16.67 acres, of the lake area was encroached upon. This finding suggested that the waterbody had effectively shrunk to just 11.83 acres. During a discussion in the NMC general body in October 2021, the administration informed elected representatives that the existing water spread was around 12 acres.
Ironically, while the original lake spans 28.5 acres, the rejuvenation proposal approved under AMRUT covered only 6.42 acres, barely 23 percent of the total area. The sanctioned project itself drew criticism from environmentalists and lake conservation activists, who warned that the city risked permanently losing a waterbody equivalent to nearly 17 football fields.
Officials clarified that the proposal sent to the government seeks deletion of the project from AMRUT 2.0, not abandonment of the lake revival plan altogether. They said restoration can be reconsidered once encroachments are cleared and the administration secures unhindered access to the site.
For now, however, Lendi Talao remains a stark example of how encroachments and administrative hurdles can derail urban lake conservation efforts even after funding has been secured.
Key Details of Lendi Talao Rejuvenation Project
- Project Cost: Rs14.13 crore
- Scheme: AMRUT 2.0
- Location: Central Nagpur
- Total Lake Area: 28.5 acres
- Existing Water Spread: Approximately 12 acres
- Encroached Area: 67,490 sq m (16.67 acres)
- Project Coverage Approved: 6.42 acres (approximately 23%)
- Project Status: Proposed for deletion from AMRUT 2.0
- Reason: Extensive encroachments, lack of site access
- Encroachments: 184 notices served; 40-42 houses discharging sewage into lake
- Physical Progress: 0%
- Key Issues: Large-scale encroachments on lake and catchment, continuous sewage inflow, dewatering attempts failed, contractor flagged feasibility concerns
- Land Handover: June 2018 with no-diversion condition
