Bengaluru's Ulsoor Lake to get Rs 100-cr facelift, to model Sankey Tank

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has undertaken a large-scale development of the Ulsoor Lake at a cost of Rs 100 crore, with works involving removal of silt, construction of a pedestrian bridge and public amenities, and restoration and expansion of the walkway. 

This is also the first major grant allocated to just one waterbody in the recent past.

Other than the city corporation, the minor irrigation department is also involved in the rejuvenation work, which is likely to be completed in a year’s time. 

So far, the corporation has drained a part of the lake and completed about a kilometre of the walkway works, between the old kalyani and gurudwara. Officials plan to extend the track towards the direction of Madras Sappers all the way to the swimming pool. The work is modelled on the lines of Sankey Tank. 

Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad said the lake will be transformed into a vibrant, accessible and sustainable waterfront. 

"Because of the heavy silt accumulation, water storage capacity has drastically reduced and bunds have weakened. If we do not act now, there is a risk of breach," he said, adding the lake is being desilted for the first time in the last 30-40 years. 

Ulsoor Lake — spread across 106 acres and dotted with six serene islands — is the only waterbody in the city’s central business district area. 

A major public-facing component of the project is the creation of a double walkway around the lake. "The current walkway is too narrow. Walkers and runners struggle to share space. We are creating a wider, double-layered walkway to accommodate both," Arshad said.

The Karnataka Tank Development and Conservation Authority (KTDCA), which has approved the project, had directed officials to drop the plans for a circular staircase and basketball court as they amounted to construction activity. 

The project also proposes an open gym, dedicated children’s play area, library space and seating zones. "This will not just be lake beautification. It will become a space for the whole community," a senior corporation official said. 

The total project cost is estimated at R 100 crore. Of this, Rs 30 crore will come from the minor irrigation department, Rs 50 crore from the civic body and Rs 20 crore from the state government. 

Arshad said works worth approximately Rs 40 crore have commenced. "The design is ready, the estimates are ready and the bund creation work has begun. It has taken nearly a year of planning and significant efforts to secure the funds," he said.

Flow of sewage to the lake, however, remains a concern. At the moment, sewage flows into the lake from three inlets, walkers pointed out, complaining about the foul smell.  

"Even after construction of the sewage treatment plant, the flow has not stopped," they noted. Officials promised the sewage flow will be stopped before the rejuvenation work is over.