BBMP to rejuvenate 20 lakes

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has called tenders to rejuvenate 20 lakes in the city.

Bengaluru, known as the lake city, has lost many of its waterbodies to the encroachment and pollution for the past many years. The civic body now plans to redevelop the lakes with beautification work, constructing walking pathways, desilting and fencing to stop encroachment.

The Palike will spend Rs 20 crore to rejuvenate the waterbodies.

Speaking to DH, Jagannatha Rao, Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP Lakes, said: “The redevelopment of the lakes will be undertaken with the funds the state government granted in the 2018-19 Budget. Only capital work can be taken up with the funds. However, the civic body will have to maintain the lakes with its own money.”

The lakes are divided into two packages, with 10 each per package.
The civic body has also prepared a detailed project report to revive the lakes and has asked the state government to provide Rs 200 crore in the forthcoming Budget to revive another 58 lakes in the city.

According to Jagannatha Rao, more funds are required to take up rejuvenation of the city’s larger lakes.

“The Kalkere-Rampura Lake is about 200 acres. Hulimavu Lake is about 145 acres, and Chikka Begur is 45 acres. Other lakes are not this big,” he said.

“We, therefore, proposed Rs 200-crore plan and a three-year time to revive these lakes,” he added. The civic body hopes to complete the redevelopment work within 11 months. The civic agency has 167 lakes in its custody and has developed 65 lakes so far.

Lakes to be developed

Uttarahalli Lake, Kodige Singasandra Lake, Somasundarapalya Lake, Sadarmangala Lake, Garudachar Palya Lake, Halasur Lake, Basapura Lake,Doddakannenahalli Lake, Ullala Lake, Kalena Agrahara Lake, Kothnur Lake, Herohalli Lake, Devarakere, Byappanakunte Lake, Kammagondanahalli Lake, Devarabisanahalli Lake, Chikkabasavanapura Lake, Subramanyapura, Vibhutipura, Mangammanapalya lakes.