Land acquisition for Rs 156-cr Arkavathi riverfront project kicks off

Bengaluru: The govt's Rs 156-crore Arkavathi riverfront development project took a huge step forward with Bengaluru South district administration set to acquire over 28 acres of riverside land in Ramanagara town. The govt announced the project in 2024 and entrusted Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) with the responsibility of riverbank development. CNNL prepared a detailed project report (DPR) and obtained approval from the water resources department. The project aims to rejuvenate the river besides building public recreational spaces, including walking tracks, fountains, yoga and gym centres, and an open-air theatre. An underground drainage system is also planned to prevent sewage inflow into the river. Based on DPR estimates, the administration issued a preliminary notification on Feb 21 to acquire 28 acres and 18 guntas in Ramanagara (14 acres and 10 guntas) and three adjacent villages, Ijoor (7 acres and 30 guntas), Jeegenahalli (3 acres and 10 guntas) and Cholappanahalli Amanikere (3 acres and 7 guntas). The project will be implemented along a 2km stretch — from the old Bengaluru-Mysuru National Highway to a bridge behind Sai Baba temple. CNNL had already begun constructing large retaining walls on both sides of the river. Land up to 40 metres from the riverbank will be developed to encourage tourism and will include an open theatre for cultural activity. Mohan MN, executive engineer, CNNL, said construction of retaining walls is likely to be completed by the end of this year. He said other components of the project would be taken up soon after the land acquisition process is completed. "Preliminary notification for land acquisition was issued recently, and we will begin other work parallelly once the acquisition process is completed," Mohan said. He said the project will play a key role in protecting the river ecosystem. He said the flow of sewage into the river would be completely stopped. "A separate sewage treatment plant will be constructed to treat wastewater and supply treated water to nearby townships," he said.