Avilala tank in Tirupati to be developed on the lines of Hyderabad’s Tank Bund

Tirupati: The Tirupati Urban Development Authority plans to transform Avilala tank into a major tourism spot by developing it on the lines of the Tank Bund in Hyderabad. The tank is spread over an extent of 187 acres on the outskirts of Tirupati along the Naidupet-Puthalapattu highway. While this major waterbody needs to be preserved both as per the verdict of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, the tank was filled with earth and levelled during the AICC plenary held here in 1992, and since then several efforts to beautify the waterbody have met with a series of legal tangles.TUDA chairman C Divakar Reddy underscored the need to embark on the beautification of Avilala project in line with the Supreme Court and the NGT guidelines. "Chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has envisioned transforming Tirupati into a city of lakes and tanks. Beautification of Avilala tank is in sync with his vision, and we plan to make it a significant landmark in the spiritual landscape of the temple city," he said.He added that TUDA has begun the exercise of consulting experts for the excavation of a 5km-long supply channel from Peruru tank to the Avilala Cheruvu, which once existed but became defunct over the years due to indiscriminate and unauthorised real estate activities. Apart from the conservation plans, TUDA also envisages establishing a mega water sports park, thematic and spiritual plantation and landscaping, a 2.5km-long and 14-metre-wide bund, walking, jogging and cycling tracks, multiple children play areas, and installation of statues of historical and spiritual personalities.