RS 104-crore plan to revive Yelahanka Lake

Amusement park planned at the waterbody near airport

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has unveiled a grand plan to develop Yelahanka lake as a tourist hub.

The Palike and Bangalore Development Authority have proposed to rejuvenate the lake and construct an amusement park at a cost of Rs 104 crore.

The ambitious project, scheduled to be completed in the next 18 months, has been conceived to draw foreign tourists to the lake situated close to the Bengaluru International Airport. The Palike has proposed to build a “necklace road” connecting Yelahanka with the airport stretch at a cost of Rs 54 crore. The process of acquiring 22 acres and 27 guntas of private land for the road has been set in motion. While 13 acres and six guntas will be utilised to build the 1.8-km road, parking bay and recreational facilities will come up in rest of the extent, BBMP authorities said.

Toy train

The BDA will assist in the project by funding the rejuvenation including the building of a water fountain and a bird watching island in the centre of the lake. It will provide a “toy train” around the lake. The Authority will chip in Rs 60 crore for the project.

“The objective is to ensure that tourists will have a recreational facility on the way to the international airport,” Mayor  told reporters during his visit to Yelahanka zone on Tuesday.

The Mayor visited three lakes at Allalsandra, Yelahanka and Atturu. The revival of the lake at Allalsandra is expected to be completed by September. A hanging overbridge has been constructed across the lake. However, according to a BBMP official, almost one acre and 27 guntas of land is under dispute as the Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) and some other parties staking a claim. The Mayor oversaw the road widening project at Ananthapura which has been stalled due to refusal of the apartment complex residents to part with their property for the project.

The Mayor also inspected the prototype of the garbage convertors to be installed in nearly 125 wards. The Yelahanka centre is currently producing two tonnes of manure from garbage. The BBMP is now selling the manure at Rs 20 a kilo to farmers. 

The cost of setting up the entire processing unit is put at Rs 1.7 crore with an additional maintenance cost of Rs 1.11 lakh per month.