Bansilalpet Stepwell

The Bansilalpet Stepwell, or Nagannakunta, is a Hyderabad stepwell thought to date from around the 17th century. It stayed in use well into the 20th century, among other things supplying water to Gandhi Hospital, and a 1954 map shows it as Naganah Kunta, set in a garden of tamarind and palmyra trees. In 1933 the land around it was developed for housing with funds from the businessman Seth Bansilal, after whom it was renamed, and it fell out of use in the 1980s.

In 2022 the city corporation (GHMC) and The Rainwater Project, led by Kalpana Ramesh, restored it, removing more than 2,000 tons of debris to reveal a six-stage well reaching 50 feet (15 m) below ground. It reopened on 5 December 2022. The site now has a cafe, an amphitheatre and three galleries telling the story of the well and its restoration.