When leaders take on huge challenges, the result in imminent and for all to savour. The Markook Reservoir also labelled the Konda Pochamma Sagar Reservoir is one such challenge which was aptly addressed by the Chief Minister of Telangana State in India.

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project brings water from the Rivers Pranhita and  Godavari to an arid plateau area covering a distance of about 500 kms. It uses about 1800km canal network brings about 240 TMC of water used to culture land, provide water to the city of Hyderabad and the nearby villages. As the world’s largest lift irrigation project, this project lifts water to a MSL of about 621 meters that is higher than the Colorado lift irrigation project in the USA and the Great Man-made River in Libya. The entire project has about 22 pump houses that consume 3767MW of power costing the state about Rs 80,000 crore. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project makes the arid Deccan Plateau of Telanagana extremely arable, it is a matter of pride for Telangana putting it firmly on the world map for sure! It will most certainly end the water woes of a state so terribly parched.

Doing the most touristy thing that we’ve done in the last 5 months we belted up and drove to the Markook Resevoir from the city of Hyderabad. Knowing nothing much about the reservoir or the Kaleshwaram project (except for the costs), I was stunned to see the beautiful bund and a sprawling reservoir that it holds. Not to forget the mega traffic jam on the bund! As we stop talking and obsessing over the white elephant in the room – a five letter word, annexed by a number, starting with a C and ending with a D, it seems like the outdoorsy tribe of the city decided to treat their senses to this delectable part of the Kaleshwaram project closest to the city. Not knowing what to expect made it extremely adventurous, but people were even trekking over the stone bund in the fine weather. As we shun the malls and make our way to more natural sights, this man-made wonder made my day in an otherwise home-bound lockdown times. Being a tourist is the best feeling for sure, even if its the oft-beat or less than oft-beaten tracks. Taking a U-turn on the narrow bund was as exciting as seeing this vast body of water, as was being a part of a traffic jam after ages!

Again a no picture post, dear readers, but here’s a link to feast those eyes on!