Hyderabad: While restoring the melta bavi, an old square well with steps in Indira Park, GHMC staff found around 50 turtles including a star back, a threatened species, and the Indian soft-shell turtle, sometimes called ‘Pancake’.
The hard-shell turtles were said to be aged around 30-40 years, it is said. They were released into the same well after restoration.
Indira Park has four old wells, of which one has been closed with mud.
Mr Narsing Rao, a resident of Kavadiguda who goes to the Indira Park for morning walks, said, “In the early 70s, the Indira Park land was categorised as agricultural land under the Urban Land Ceiling Act. It was K.V. Ranga Reddy, uncle of former Chief Minister Marri Channa Reddy, who constructed these four wells in Indira Park. The park was opened to the public in 1975.”
He said the metla bavi was about 60 feet deep. The turtles must have been introduced two or three years after the well was built, he said.
Another well, called a round ‘Mogali bavi’, named after the kewda (Pandanus odoratissimus), was big enough to accommodate 5-7 swimmers at one go.
The fragrance of the flower was strong enough to attract many. The well lies in neglect. The third well was called ‘Palu (milk) bavi’ because it always had overflowing water.
The fourth well, which is now closed, was called Maisamma bavi. It is said that the water was so clear that a coin thrown into the well could be seen through 60 feet of water.
