Desilting Bellandur lake may be completed in 2025

Bengaluru: Desilting of Bellandur lake, crucial for the rejuvenation of the waterbody, is likely to take another year. Officials estimate that the approaching monsoon may not give them enough time to extract and transport 11 lakh cubic metres of silt.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which initiated work on desilting the lake in 2020, said that about 20 lakh cubic metres of silt has been removed. Officials, however, said about 200-acre water-spread area, the deepest portion of the lake, has made the excavation and removal of silt a challenge.

BDA Commissioner N Jayaram said there were several challenges in desilting work. “We have removed more than 60% of the silt. There are some challenges in transporting the silt from Bellandur. The work on wetland formation will also be taken up soon,” he said.

The BDA had earlier committed to complete the rejuvenation work by December 2024. However, sources said the work will be delayed by more than a year.

“Though tenders were awarded for desilting of the lake, the BDA’s focus has since shifted to other works as the government has laid emphasis on layout formation,” the source said.

To a query, BDA engineer member HR Shantharajanna said the authority was focused on complete rejuvenation work and any delay was caused by the hurdles they faced.

“There are challenges in transporting the silt to Mittaganahalli. We directed the contractor to deploy 100 trucks. However, it has become a challenge to run the trucks during the day on the busy Hosur Road, while residents of Mittaganahalli have opposed operations in the night.”

The official said the completion of the rejuvenation work may have to be stretched to next year.

“The silt has to be dry before being loaded onto truck. Otherwise, water will add to the weight and slow down the entire work. We get four months — January to April — for the desilting work. Considering the approaching monsoon, it is possible that the completion of the work will take another year,” he said.

He said that the BDA completed about 95% of the work in Varthur as farmers came forward to take the silt for their lands. “There are logistical and practical challenges in Bellandur,” the official said.

Apart from desilting, the completion of the drain network in the 110 villages and sewage treatment infrastructure is essential for the rejuvenation of the lake.

BDA officials, however, said they were waiting for the BWSSB to complete the work.

Restoration of wetland

Besides rejuvenating the Bellandur lake, its catchment area needs to be formed to ensure that the ecosystem of the waterbody is restored.

Officials said Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Prof TV Ramachandra has provided the design and guidelines for the wetland formation. “Wetland formation will require concerted efforts and will be completed within six months,” they added.