Bellandur Lake, Bengaluru’s largest water body, has been at the heart of an ambitious rejuvenation project since 2020. However, persistent delays, severe funding shortages, and inadequate planning have left citizens increasingly frustrated. Time is slipping away, and without immediate government intervention, this critical environmental project risks failing.

A recent meeting with government bodies shed light on the project’s stagnation and the urgent steps required to salvage it.

Progress so far

Desilting Work:

• Of the estimated 32.33 lakh cubic meters of silt, 22.69 lakh cubic meters (70%) have been removed, leaving 30% unfinished
• Early monsoons and slushy conditions have delayed progress as per BDA, but citizens argue poor planning is the real issue
• There is a new proposal to remove only 1.3 meters of silt—despite deeper silt deposits—is being made due to insufficient funds which is not as per NGT constituted Expert Committee directive

Citizens question the (BDA) justification of monsoons halting work, pointing out that 70% of the lake was de-silted by using large motor pumps to dewater areas.

“The monsoon excuse is farcical. Dewatering has been done before (in 70% completed area). Without immediate resumption of rejuvenation, we’ll lose this year too. If the project is shelved due to a lack of funds, Rs 100 crores spent so far will have been wasted,” said Sonali Singh, Citizen Change Maker – Bellandur Lake.

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Wetland construction

In the recent report submitted by BDA to NGT, 30% of wetland work at Koramangala and Agara Valley has been completed. Citizens contend that no significant progress beyond creating bunds is visible.

The 3 key wetland projects at HAL (55 acres), ST Bed (110 acres), and Iblur (10 acres) remain stalled due to funding shortages.

Financial constraints

In 2018, NGT asked GoK to deposit ₹500 crore in an escrow account for the execution of an action plan on the rejuvenation of lakes. It has ordered the setting up of a committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde and noted scientist TV Ramachandra, who is a faculty at the Indian Institute of Sciences. While the committee was monitoring, funds were being judiciously used. After the monitoring committee was dissolved in 2023, we now hear the project is severely cash-strapped.

GoK has stated that Rs 500 crore escrow fund is already used up as below:

• Rs 250 crore was spent on Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).
• Rs 100 crore allocated to Bellandur Lake has been fully utilized.
• 100 crores Varthur Lake

Remaining amount spent in developing villages were silt was deposited in Mylasandra and Vithalsandra

Currently Rs 12 crore worth of invoices remain unpaid, halting critical work. BBMP marshals’ salaries are pending, undermining security and dumping.

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Read more: Why Bellandur lake restoration will fail unless Doddanekkundi lake is cleaned up

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Persistent challenges

• Encroachments: Encroachments in Ambedkar Colony remain unresolved. A religious institution under construction in the encroached area further complicates the issue. Immediate action is required to reclaim the lake’s buffer zone.
• Security and maintenance: Surveillance cameras and streetlights installed around the lake have been non-functional for over three years, raising serious safety concerns. BBMP marshals, who were deployed to prevent solid waste dumping, breaches of the lake fence, and monitor fresh encroachments, have been unable to perform their duties effectively due to lack of operational support. This has left the lake vulnerable to illegal activities, further compromising the ongoing rejuvenation efforts. They have also not been paid since May 2024.
• Waste management: Accumulated solid waste and untreated sewage continue to degrade the lake, impacting local residents’ quality of life besides breaches during heavy rain mixing sewage with newly rejuvenated areas of Bellandur Lake. “We can see fresh growth of water hyacinth” – Bharati Mani, Citizen volunteer, Bellandur Lake
• Missed deadlines: The December 2024 completion deadline (revised) appears increasingly unattainable given the current pace of work.
• Unabated sewage inflow: Untreated sewage continues to flow into Bellandur Lake. The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has failed to coordinate with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to install the required 110 MLD-capacity STPs.

Citizen concerns

Residents have voiced strong disapproval of the slow progress and lack of accountability:
“Not much has moved on the ground in two years. At this pace, it will take another decade to complete,” lamented Sonali Singh, Citizen Changemaker. Citizens accuse agencies of inefficiency, with incomplete desilting and unchecked sewage inflow being major concerns.

Furthermore, directives from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to form a lake development monitoring committee have been ignored, exacerbating the project’s challenges.

Call to action

The Citizen Changemakers group urges the government to take immediate, decisive action:

1. Release additional funds: Allocate funds to resume desilting and wetland construction.
2. Adhere to the scientific plan: Implement the NGT-recommended rejuvenation plan without further delay.
3. Resolve encroachments: Act swiftly to clear Ambedkar Colony encroachments.
4. Enhance security: Operationalise streetlights and surveillance cameras around the lake.
5. Treat sewage: Ensure only treated sewage water enters Bellandur Lake by fast-tracking the installation of STPs.
6. Set a time-bound completion plan: Prioritise the project’s completion before the next monsoon season.

“The past two years have marked significant progress in the cleanup of Bellandur Lake. A large portion of the lake has been dewatered and desilted, and in the cleaned areas, rainwater has collected, attracting various bird species and eliminating unpleasant odors. However, a section of the lake still awaits desilting. I remain hopeful that the government will allocate the necessary funds to complete the work. Looking forward to a rejuvenated lake, graced with serene sunsets and visiting birds.” – Bharati Mani, Citizen volunteer.

Jagadish Reddy, a social worker with Bellandur-Varthur Lakes Development Committee, said: “A monitoring committee must be formed, and the dredging of the lakes needs to be completed swiftly”

A Race Against Time

Bellandur Lake’s rejuvenation is not just an environmental issue but a critical need for East Bengaluru’s future water security and ecological balance. Citizens remain steadfast in their commitment to supporting these efforts but urge the government to demonstrate accountability and ensure timely action.

Without immediate intervention, this project risks becoming yet another missed opportunity.

Note: The above article is based on a release issued by Citizen Changemakers, Bellandur Lake Rejuvenation Committee, and has been published with some elaboration by members of the team.

Also read:

• Bellandur and Varthur lake revival speeds up, public meeting on June 21st
• Cauvery index insights: Bengaluru’s peripheries and some central areas face water challenges
• How a residents’ group saved Benniganahalli lake from going the Bellandur way
• The Secret Life of Bengaluru’s Lakes: Envisioning a future