Tirupati is set for a major climate-resilient makeover, with the Andhra Pradesh government giving in-principle approval for a Rs 750 crore project to reduce flooding and strengthen groundwater recharge.
The plan will restore the city’s historic lakes and tanks, improve stormwater drainage, and create blue-green infrastructure across the Tirupati Urban Development Area. Officials say the project is meant to turn the temple town into a “City of Lakes and Tanks” and build a more sustainable urban model for the future.
The project draws lessons from the severe floods that hit Tirupati and nearby areas in November 2021. It will focus on desilting, deepening, and strengthening around 25 water bodies, while also expanding the drainage network in the city and peri-urban areas.
A large part of the funding is being planned through a concessional external loan from Germany’s KfW Development Bank under the Externally Aided Project framework. The government has also set aside funds for land costs, detailed project reports, and hydrological studies.
One key focus is the Avilala Tank, which Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wants to develop on the lines of Hyderabad’s Tank Bund. The idea is to improve public spaces while also strengthening water management.
For a temple city like Tirupati, this is more than an infrastructure project. It is an effort to protect pilgrims, residents, and sacred urban heritage from future flooding.
Tirupati’s Rs 750 crore climate-resilient project aims to restore lakes, improve drainage, and create a safer, greener temple town for devotees and citizens alike.
