Sankey Tank track to be reinforced

At a time when most lakes in the city are in need of immediate attention, Sankey Tank, one of the very few well kept urban commons in the city, is all set to get a face-lift at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is planning to introduce dedicated tracks for joggers and walkers on the three sides of the water-body. In the past few years, cracks have appeared on the existing track, and in some areas the track is sliding away, causing difficulty for the regulars.

To arrest the sliding of the track, the civic body has planned to strengthen the tank bund by incorporating gabion boxes. The gabion box technology is used to strengthen bunds, and shores up well against erosion.

“Three sides of the lake are used by walkers and joggers every day. In few areas, there are slides, which have damaged the walker’s track. Hence we have planned to repair,” Jagannath Rao, BBMP’s deputy conservator of forests told DH.

“We will first place gabion boxes, upon which we will construct the walker’s path. The gabion boxes will avoid slides and erosion. We have taken up the work in the west bank of the lake already, and the work will start soon in the eastern and southern banks,” he added.

Once the modern walker’s track is completed, a bridge connecting the east and west bank will be constructed. Sankey Tank was built in 1882 by the British officer Richard Sankey, to meet the water supply demands of the city. On an average, Sankey Tank attracts around 2,000 fitness enthusiasts daily.

“The main reason for the damage on the pathway is constant water current and erosion over a period of time, which led to the weakening of the wall,” explained Jagannath Rao.