In an effort to save Bangalore’s few remaining water bodies, the
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is planning an ambitious Rs
6,500-crore lake interlinking and sewage clearing project.

Pollution
is the first target with plans to stop sewage from flowing into the
water bodies. There is also a plan to interlink all the water bodies by
clearing canals that are currently encroached. This will facilitate
ground water recharge, conserve water and provide 500 million litres
more per day to the water deficient city.

It is said to be the
first such project in the country. Bangalore-in-charge Minister
Ramalinga Reddy told Express, “In the past, when lakes overflowed, water
would go from one to the other. All lakes were interconnected. But now,
the canals that used to facilitate the overflowing lake water are lost.
We are conducting a survey to trace these canals and to reconnect the
lakes.’’

Reddy said 856 km of canals used to connect 56 lakes from
Dasarahalli to Bommanahalli across the city. ‘’So far, surveyors have
traced 138 km of canals. Once the survey is completed in another eight
months, we will notify the encroachments and get them vacvated as soon
as possible,’’ Reddy added.

The data on encroachments is to be
digitised and put up on the BBMP website to ensure all stakeholders are
given enough time before they are vacated.

Reddy said, once
rejuvenated, these canals will act as feeders to the lakes, provide for
percolation of ground water and prevent flooding in the city’s low-lying
areas. Adequate precautions would be taken to ensure only clean water
flows into these lakes.

“As we have to dig contour canals to
divert and canalise the sewage that is flowing into these lakes, the
project is estimated to cost around Rs 6,500 crore. BBMP engineers have
proposed to undertake the project with funding from World Bank or JnNURM
and have submitted a proposal in this regard. The project will be taken
forward as soon as the government approves it,” he said.