Benniganahalli Lake - All You Need to Know About
Benniganahalli Lake is one of the famous water bodies situated at Old Madras Road, in Bangalore. Restoration programs have already taken place four times in the past 20 years but still, different sources of untreated water are entering the waterbody and making the lake polluted.
Still, lots of rare species of birds and fishes are found in this lake, which attracts visitors to this place. There are so many things about this lake that most of us don't know. We are going to share with you detailed information about Benniganahalli Lake that you should know.
Area & Location of Benniganahalli Lake
The location of Benniganahalli Lake is the following - MBT Road, Benniganahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560016. It is also near the old Madras Road. Opposite this lake are Pai Layout, A Narayanapura and other areas. The total area of this lake is huge, which is approximately 10 acres of land.
The Lake is well connected with all means of transport and you can easily reach this place no matter which part of Bangalore you are staying. The nearest metro station is Swami Vivekananda Road which is only 29 minutes walking distance from the lake and the metro line that goes towards this location is the purple line. The nearest railway station from this place is K.R.Puram Railway Station and it is only 27 minutes walk from the lake. Also, the nearby bus stop is only 6 km away from this place and the bus stop's name is Tin Factory.
How Did the Restoration Work Take Place in Benniganahalli Lake?
As per local news and information, Benniganahalli Lake was restored four times in the past 20 years. In earlier days the lake was clean and was the home of many migrant birds. But soon the scenario started changing as untreated water and garbage started to enter the lake. The situation became so bad that the local residents and even birds stopped to visit the lake.
Local residents started worrying about the condition of the lake and they contacted the authorities to work together so that the condition of the lake could be developed. Pai Layout Residents Welfare Association joined hands with KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavara and together they went to BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) and requested them to take the initiative to clean this huge lake.
Earlier the lake was managed by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). But in the year 2016, BBMP took responsibility for them. After continuous follow-up and repeated reminders from Pai Layout Residents Welfare Association and Basavara, in the year 2018, BBMP finally started the restoration and distillation work. It took almost one year to complete the entire task and the estimated cost of that work was around 3 crore.
After the rejuvenation of the waterbody, they took the initiative to convert the land beside the lake into a park. This initiative consists of a few plans including cleaning and monitoring the lake area regularly, plantation of trees surrounding the lake, making a jogging and walking path surrounding the lake, installation of lights and gymnasium instruments etc. In June 2022, Benniganahalli Kere Trust was founded by the Pai Layout Residents Welfare Association under the leadership of President R Nagaraj, Secretary N H Subramanian, and Treasurer Muralidharan so that the development activities can be supervised properly. Currently, the lake is in a better condition but the work is still not completed.
Emergency Contacts
What are the Timings of Benniganahalli Lake?
There are no specific times for visiting this place. You can go there whenever you want to. As the proposed work of the park and activity area surrounding the lake is still not finished, there are no specific visiting hours associated with this place.
What is the Current State of Benniganahalli Lake?
Though the lake was restored in the year 2019, currently people are witnessing untreated sewage, dirty water etc. entering the water body. If this situation keeps happening continuously, soon the lake will be damaged again. As per Anupama VL, treasurer of Benniganahalli Kere Trust, the lake is choking again due to proper maintenance work from BBMP who is currently in charge of the maintenance work of Benniganahalli Lake. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) examined the water quality of the lake and identified it as a Class D Category. That's why the water of Benniganahalli Lake can only be used for fishing purposes.
As metro extension work is in progress in the area by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), they are also focusing on the beautification of the surrounding areas of the lake. Like the installation of benches, craving the footpath for the walkers and the installation of gymnasium instruments etc. But as per local citizens, besides this good work of BMRCL, the BBMP is not doing their duties to maintain the water quality of the lake.
If proper maintenance work is not done sooner, the lake will turn into a dumpster again in the next six months. The monthly expenses for the maintenance work of the lake required Rs. 1.5 lakhs approx. Also, people want the government to set up a Sewage Treatment Plant for the betterment of the water quality of the lake. As per the sources, Emails were sent to Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to ensure that untreated sewage cannot enter the lake water.
Conclusion
From local people to associated maintenance authorities, everyone is working hard to establish this lake as a beautiful waterbody and a biological hotspot. However, the last time when the lake water was distilled, it took almost 3 years to fill the lake with rainwater supply. So, currently, the installation of a Sewage Treatment Plant is extremely necessary to ensure the constant inflow of treated water into the lake. Everybody is trying their best to achieve the goal as soon as possible.
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