JOIN USSankey Tank joggers, walkers will no longer have 'run-ins'
At a time when most City lakes are crying for attention, Sankey Tank is all set to get a facelift.
Dedicated tracks for joggers and walkers, a water weir and a separate immersion tank are among the changes that are expected to be implemented soon. All this at an estimated cost of Rs five crore.
A few months ago, joggers and walkers were at loggerheads over the use of the tracks. Following this, a decision was taken to separate the jogging and walking tracks.
In the proposed design, the walkway and joggers path are planned at multiple levels on the periphery. Also, planters will have separate tracks. While joggers would be privileged to get close to the water, walkers will have to take the outer path. On an average, Sankey Tank attracts around 1,000 fitness enthusiasts daily.
Rashmi Gurbaxani, architect, Total Environment, to whom the project has been outsourced, said the work had begun on the western side of the tank and was to be done around the water body in a phased manner. “The railings have an inward design. All safety aspects have been kept in mind,” she added.
This, the local leaders say, would be the first of its kind in the City. Speaking about the upgrading work, Malleswaram MLA Dr C N Ashwath Narayan said a proposal had been also made to complete the loop on the northern side of the tank by constructing an overbridge. He said the decision was taken after members of the walkers’ association had approached him to address the issue.
To begin with, the tracks would come up on the western side of the tank at an estimated cost of Rs three crore. Work worth Rs 1.95 crore is going on, while the work order has been issued for about Rs 95 lakh. A similar track would come up on the eastern side of the tank, for which grants have been sanctioned,” he said and added that there was a proposal to renovate the southern and northern sides of the track in addition to the bridge.
“We have received about Rs 3.25 crore under the State government’s Nagarothana scheme and the remaining funds from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike,” he said.
Ganesha idol immersionCome Ganesha festival and the tank sees a number devotees immersing idols. A proposal has now been made to have a separate immersion tank for the purpose.
The tank would come up at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. A waste weir to arrest seepage on the western side at a cost of Rs 50.58 lakh would also be built, the MLA told Deccan Herald.