As the new Cyberabad Municipal Corporation takes charge, a major vision unfolds to integrate heritage rocks, urban lakes, and community-led conservation.
In the heart of Hyderabad’s bustling IT corridor lies a silent, stony witness to history—the Khajaguda rock formations. Older than the dinosaurs and dating back over 2.5 billion years, these granite tora have long been at the center of a tug-of-war between urban expansion and heritage preservation.
This past Sunday, a new chapter began for this prehistoric landscape.
A Vision for the “Rock Garden”
In one of her first major field visits since the formation of the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC), Commissioner G. Srijana inspected the Khajaguda heritage site. Her directive was clear: Khajaguda is not just a collection of rocks; it is a vital ecological asset.
The Commissioner instructed officials to:
- Develop a Comprehensive Rock Garden: Enhancing the site with native greenery while maintaining the integrity of the formations.
- Lake Integration: Connecting the garden seamlessly with the adjacent Khajaguda Lake to create a unified blue-green lung space.
- Secure the Perimeter: Immediate fencing was ordered to protect the site from encroachment and illegal debris dumping, a long-standing grievance of local activists.
Expert Voices: Why Khajaguda Matters
Accompanying the Commissioner were members of the Save The Rocks Society, including Vice-President Sangeetha Varma. For years, this group has been the frontline defense for Hyderabad’s geology.
Varma briefed the municipal team on the “Heritage Significance” of the site—explaining that these aren’t just boulders, but unique geomorphological structures that support local biodiversity and help maintain the city’s groundwater table. Their message was simple: Once these rocks are gone, they never grow back.
“These formations are part of the Deccan Plateau’s soul. Integrating them into the city’s official urban plan is the only way to ensure they survive the next century.”
The Sunday Sweep: 20 Tonnes of Change
The visit wasn’t the only environmental milestone this weekend. In a massive show of “Praja Palana” (People’s Governance), a community-led cleaning drive swept through the CMC and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC).
The numbers speak for themselves:
- 57 Lakes cleaned in a single day.
- 20.5 Metric Tonnes of waste removed.
- Thousands of volunteers joining hands with municipal workers.
From the rocks of Khajaguda to the waters of Wipro Lake, the message from the weekend is loud and clear: Cyberabad is moving toward a model where development and nature aren’t enemies—they’re neighbors.
