Canals in Bengaluru to get a green makeover

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa revealed an ambitious plan to create green space along 400 km of primary canals in the city, during his Independence Day speech here on Saturday.

Bicycle and pedestrian trails will also take shape next to the canal bunds in an effort to reboot “social and organic facilities”, to improve the city’s basic infrastructure.

“In the first stage, work along the historic rajakaluve (primary canal), from Dharmambudhi Lake (where the Kempegowda bus stand is currently located) to Bellandur Lake, will be taken up, besides the construction of a 36 km-long walking and cycling path, showcasing the city’s cultural and social facets,” Yediyurappa added.

M R Venkatesh, engineer-in-chief, BBMP, told DH that the project was feasible and could serve as a critical buffer zone between the urban sprawl and necessary green spaces. “It represents a significant upgradation of the environment,” he said.

The challenge

Sources said that the project was still in its infancy, but that serious consideration was being made to implement it on the SWD K100 canal in the first stage.

“The real challenge is not accommodating greenery along the canals, but stopping the flow of sewage into the canals. Currently, 150 million litres per day (MLDs) of raw sewage flows into the canals being considered for phase 1,” the sources said.

The K100 canal goes underground near the city market, but emerges out beyond the city market mosque.

“At places, the cross-section width of the canal is 8 feet, but in other places, it is 16 metres. Where the space is small, the idea is to create a single patch of greenery. In larger areas, the drain will be shrunk to accommodate bicycle and walking tracks, with dual lines of greenery. If vacant plots are available in places, they will be turned into parks,” the sources said. The idea is to reclaim some of this as public space, the sources said.

Special nursery

The chief minister also announced plans to grow “people-friendly” flora and fauna at a special nursery being set on 110 acres of land that belongs to the New Government Electrical Factory (NGEF), near the Baiyappanahalli Metro station.

“We are planning to have people friendly plants here. We will grow plants of diverse species here,” he said.