Now, one more road proposed alongside Bengaluru’s Hebbal Lake

Even as the Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) Short Tunnel Project faces widespread criticism, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has proposed another 12-metre (approximately 40-foot) road alongside Hebbal Lake in north Bengaluru as part of its draft road circulation plan.

The GBA has published a circulation plan for the Greater Bengaluru Local Planning Area, inviting objections and suggestions from the public. The exercise aims to expand the road network to improve traffic flow across the city.

The plan also proposes establishing a road link between Thanisandra and Hebbal. However, the link would also facilitate connectivity for residents of Kodigehalli and areas beyond, such as Vidyaranyapura, connecting the northern and northeastern parts of the city.

Passing on bund

The concern, however, is that the proposed route passes through the lake bund area. In addition, the same route passes alongside Nagawara Lake, essentially following the stormwater drain (SWD) network connecting the two lakes.

While experts and activists say that a road passing near a lake is not a serious concern in itself, they point out that the loss of green cover around the lake could affect the waterbody. They also warn that the proposed road would change the character of the locality and lead to commercialisation, thereby having a long-term impact on the lake. In this case, too, the area marked for the proposed road is a green space and would require tree clearance to facilitate its construction.

Priyanka Jamwal, senior fellow with the Water and Society Programme at ATREE, pointed out that the primary function of lakes was earlier irrigation. However, with changing times, lakes now largely serve as environmental amenities. “If the trees around the lake are cleared, even the function of the lake will diminish, as it would lead to massive biodiversity loss,” she said.

Further, this could affect smaller ecosystems and lead to the migration of several species. Ms. Jamwal also pointed out that lake bunds are not designed to carry heavy vehicles and that doing so would affect the buffer zone.

Recipe for destruction

V. Ramprasad, a lake activist, stressed that laying roads around lakes was a recipe for the slow destruction of waterbodies, which could eventually lead to their complete disappearance, as has happened with several other lakes in the city. “Now, they are planning a road at the site, presuming that the area is not part of the lakebed. However, what the officials forget is that the lake was initially much larger, and development has reduced its size,” he said.

Mr. Ramprasad said that, as part of the exercise, lakes where more than 10% of the lakebed area had been used for development, when assessed against lake surveys from the 1970s, should have been left untouched. He also pointed out that public opinion should have been sought before undertaking the exercise.

However, a senior GBA officer said that the draft could be reviewed and citizens could submit suggestions, based on which changes could be made.