Puzhal Lake, Water reservoir in Red Hills, Chennai, India.

Pulhal Lake is a water reservoir in the Red Hills near Chennai, built to store water for the city. The structure includes two weirs made from locally quarried laterite stone to hold back and distribute the water supply.

The reservoir was built in 1876 during British rule to secure drinking water for the growing city. A measurement tower called Jones Tower was added in 1881 to help monitor water levels and manage the supply system.

The lake is also called Red Hills Lake, after the Red Hills area of Chennai where it lies, and in Tamil it is known as Puzhal Aeri or Sengundra Eri. A park laid out at the reservoir is used as a visitor spot, and the bund roads around the water are walked and run by local residents.

The lake sits in the Red Hills, making it easy to reach from Chennai if you want to visit. The best time to explore is during the monsoon season, when water levels are fuller and the surroundings look greener.

Jones Tower, built in 1881, still stands in the lake and is used to measure the water level. The bund road on top of the 7 km embankment is used by many people for walking and running.