In Nagpur's western region lies the 200-year-old Futala Lake. Rich with history, the account of this scenic lake is fascinating, to say the least. It is spread over a large area and was built by the Bhosle Kings of Nagpur. However, with time, the charm of this lake faded and, in the absence of maintenance, this old lake became a washhouse for cattle!

In 2003, NIT funding and state aid were used to transform this cattle-washing pond into the glorious lake it is today. The work was completed in two stages. The first phase consisted of desilting and the removal of lotus plants and other trash from the lake.

The work included lots of repairs; the construction of pathways and pavements; the building of roads; and the installation of decorative lamps, benches, attractive dust bins, etc. The lake was beautified with sprinklers, water plants, and landscaping. Besides, four high masts were installed near the lake for lighting.

In the lake were two 15-foot colored fountains and a 100-foot white fountain. The first phase of work included Immersion Ghat with three ramps on the south side and a lake guard wall with a sand beach on the north side.

The second phase of beautifying, cleaning, and interlocking pavement blocks were completed. They were installed from Hanuman Temple to Futala Lake and the triangular land in front of the temple. About 1300m of the road was paved to ease the parking problem near the famed Hanuman temple. The wonderful Futala Talav became Nagpur's most popular attraction, drawing over a thousand tourists every day.

Until as recently as 2020, Futala Lake enjoyed tourists from in and around Nagpur. Then another project was taken up to make Futala Lake a world-class tourist spot, known as the Futala Lake fountain project.