Rain check for Ulsoor Lake: Desilting hits pause amid ecological concerns

Bengaluru: The redevelopment and desilting of Ulsoor Lake, taken up nearly two decades after major restoration efforts, has hit a temporary pause after recent rain refilled some areas. It has slowed critical desilting work before the monsoon sets in.The nearly Rs 4-crore rejuvenation project, currently under way at the historic waterbody, includes desilting and civic infrastructure upgrades. However, rainwater inflow after April 19 rain has complicated excavation efforts.According to engineers from the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, the future of desilting now largely depends on the intensity of pre-monsoon showers expected through May. "We will wait for the next three days based on weather forecasts. The only way forward is to dewater the lake again and resume desilting," an engineer said. "As of now, we have opened the channel to ensure water flows out and does not remain stored in the lake."Officials added that if heavy pre-monsoon showers continue, authorities may have no choice but to pause desilting until the monsoon concludes. "We hope to get rain-free days before the monsoon fully sets in so we can complete the remaining work," the engineer said, adding that around 60% of desilting has been completed so far. Civil works, however, are expected to continue irrespective of rain and remain on track for completion within the 11-month project timeline.Plastic poses unexpected challengeEven as work progresses, officials say the project has encountered an unforeseen obstacle — massive quantities of plastic waste buried deep beneath the lake bed. "As we dig, more and more garbage is surfacing. We did not anticipate this at such a scale," the engineer said.Officials said desilting is currently being carried out only to a depth of 0.5 to 0.6 metres, significantly lower than the originally proposed 1.5 metres, limiting the extent of lake restoration. The presence of plastic waste has also complicated operations.Unlike silt, embedded garbage cannot be removed using heavy machinery and would require manual labour — an aspect not included in the original project scope. "Even if we dig deeper, we are likely to continue finding garbage. Most of it enters through stormwater drains," the engineer said, adding that authorities are yet to devise a mechanism to systematically remove the accumulated waste without delaying the project.Citizens oppose concretisationThe redevelopment itself has drawn sharp criticism from environmental activists and citizens, who allege ecological degradation, excessive concretisation and alteration of the lake's natural structure.A recent citizen inspection of the lake sparked concerns over the pace and nature of work. Activists claimed that while authorities had assured round-the-clock desilting to prepare for the monsoon, activity at the site appeared minimal."We were told machines would run 24/7 to prepare for the rains. Instead, much of the site appeared idle during the day," said Rajgopalan R, founder of Bengaluru Coalition, a civic forum.Among the strongest criticisms are allegations of overuse of concrete along the lake bund and damage to surrounding ecology.Vinod Jacob, an activist, described a recent visit to the lake as "a heartbreaking eye-opener," alleging that steel and concrete are transforming the waterbody into a "sterile water tank." "Bengaluru deserves better. We need to protect our lakes, not pave them over," he said, raising concerns over tree roots being exposed and the possibility of trees collapsing during the monsoon.Walkway of contentionAt the centre of citizen criticism is the construction of a nearly 15-foot-wide concrete walkway, which activists claim extends around 20 feet into the lake bed, replacing an existing mud pathway and modifying the natural bund slope."There are reasons why lake bunds are designed with gradual slopes. What is being built now is vertical, heavily concretised and ecologically damaging," Rajgopalan said, adding that fish populations and bird activity around the lake have also reduced.Citizen groups are now considering approaching the National Green Tribunal, arguing that such redevelopment models could be replicated across other city lakes if left unchecked.