Hyderabad: Even after several years and crores of rupees spent on its cleaning, the centuries-old Qutb Shahi era Katora Houz at Golconda remains neglected, with no signs of restoration or beautification.
The surface of the water body is now filled with thick vegetation and mounds of mud. “It has become a mosquito breeding ground throughout the year. Even though funds are being released at frequent intervals, government officials have failed to clean Katora Houz,” said Mohd Sardar, a local resident.
Since 2018, the GHMC had sanctioned over Rs 6 crore in different spells for removing water hyacinth, cleaning the water and beautification works. However, little change has been witnessed. “In the end it is no less than a dirty water cesspool. Drain water continues to flow in it,” complained Mohd Basheer, another local resident.
According to a historian, Katora Houz served as a drinking water facility for close to six months before the Mughals seized the Golconda Fort. “For six months, it was the water of Katora Houz that kept it standing despite being surrounded by Mughal forces. The uniqueness of Katora Houz is that it receives water all the way from Durgam Cheruvu and Malkam Cheruvu via Qutb Shahi tombs and provides drinking water till the first floor of the Golconda fort,” said a historian.
The state government had planned to carry out illumination, pathway construction, landscaping, and area beautification to transform Kathora Houz into a popular tourist destination. However, the plan failed to materialize due to official apathy and lack of coordination between GHMC and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials.
| Edited by Veena Nair | 
