Nagpur: Even in this year’s monsoon, Songaon Lake has failed to revive. Instead of fresh life, locals are now witnessing dead fish floating in the shallow waters. Residents are furious, alleging that despite crores being poured into beautification projects, the ecological restoration of the lake has been ignored.
Independent journalist Anjaya Anparthi, speaking to Nagpur Today, remarked that “true revival was never the priority—only cosmetic beautification was done, which adds no value to the environment.”
A Trail of Funds – But Little Impact
Over the past 15 years, Songaon Lake has seen multiple rounds of government funding. Here’s a timeline of promises versus reality:
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18 Aug 2025
- 2010: ₹3.24 crore sanctioned by the government for desilting, idol immersion tanks, overflow mechanism, and embankment repair.
- 2012: Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) prepared a ₹5.13 crore plan to acquire the lake from private owners. Legal disputes stalled progress.
- 2017: State Government approved a massive ₹18.2 crore beautification project including a Nakshatra garden, walking tracks, pergolas, lighting, parking zones, and a green belt.
- 2021: After legal clearance, bhoomipujan (ground-breaking) was performed, giving a green signal to the project.
- 2023: Maharashtra Government sanctioned another ₹24.96 crore for Phase 2. The first installment of ₹8.25 crore was released. Plans included retaining walls, lawns, floodlights, small gardens, and visitor amenities. Completion deadline: March 2024.
- 2025 (May): NMC floated a new plan under Amrit 2.0 and Finance Commission funds—featuring a recreation center, amphitheater, public spaces, toilets, Wi-Fi zones, and seating areas.
The Present Reality
Despite these grand announcements and crores of rupees, Songaon Lake remains dry and lifeless. Ideally, it should brim with water during the monsoon, but it continues to look deserted.
Residents argue that projects focused only on decoration—walking paths, lights, and gardens—without addressing water retention, biodiversity, and ecological balance.
“We don’t need fancy tracks or lights. We want water in the lake, thriving fish, and birds returning to its banks. That is real development,” said a local resident.
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Questions People Ask Us about Songaon Lake
Q1: What is the history of Songaon Lake?
Songaon Lake is one of Nagpur’s old water bodies, historically serving as a source of water storage and biodiversity. Over time, urbanization, pollution, and neglect caused its deterioration.
Q2: Why has so much money been spent on the lake?
Since 2010, successive governments have sanctioned multiple projects—mainly focused on beautification (gardens, parks, lighting)—rather than ecological revival.
Q3: Why does the lake remain dry despite crores spent?
Experts and residents allege that no proper measures were taken for rainwater harvesting, catchment protection, and groundwater recharge. Without these, cosmetic beautification cannot restore the lake.
Q4: What do citizens want?
Local residents want a revived water body with aquatic life, bird habitats, and sustainable water storage. They believe funds should be spent on ecological restoration instead of concrete structures.
Q5: What’s next for Songaon Lake?
As of May 2025, NMC has announced another new plan with recreational facilities. However, unless the focus shifts to water conservation and ecological balance, experts warn the lake may continue to remain “beautifully dead.”
