Karnataka’s forgotten 300-year-old stepwell restored after decades of neglect

4 min readNew DelhiJul 26, 2026 10:57 AM IST Under the heaps of discarded waste in Karnataka’s Belagavi, a remarkable piece of history has been discovered. A nearly 300-year-old stepwell, buried under layers of garbage, sewage, rubble and silt for almost 30 years, has now been restored by volunteers in Karnataka’s Mutga village. What was once a forgotten and abandoned site is now drawing crowds and sparking fresh conversations around heritage conservation and traditional water systems.Buried under waste for decades Located in Kanchveer Nagar, Mutga village, the historic well had slowly disappeared due to years of neglect. A community-led effort by the Belagavi-based Pyaas Foundation, along with NSS volunteers and local residents, has brought it back to life. The restoration also received s