Bengaluru plans Citizen’s Waterway through Halasuru Lake canals

GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao directs officials to prepare a detailed plan for a Citizen’s Waterway using Halasuru Lake’s rajakaluves under the K-100 initiative.

Bengaluru is set to witness the development of a new Citizen’s Waterway as part of an urban water rejuvenation effort led by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). The proposed waterway will be developed through the rajakaluves connected to Halasuru Lake, marking a key step under the city’s K-100 Citizen’s Waterway Project.

The direction came from GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, who instructed officials to prepare a detailed project plan during his inspection of ongoing development works at Halasuru Lake. Officials informed him that water flows into the lake from three different directions, creating an opportunity to design a structured civic waterway by optimally using these inflows.

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Based on this assessment, Maheshwar Rao asked the concerned departments to draft a comprehensive plan to convert the existing rajakaluves into a functional Citizen’s Waterway system. The aim is to restore these traditional stormwater channels while integrating them into the city’s broader water management framework.

The Citizen’s Waterway initiative focuses on reviving polluted rajakaluves by cleaning them thoroughly and restoring their natural form. A major component of the plan is to prevent sewage from entering stormwater drains, ensuring that only treated water from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) flows through the channels.

Another critical objective is the removal of encroachments, including illegal structures built over rajakaluves, which obstruct natural water flow. Authorities have been directed to prioritise clearing these blockages to restore uninterrupted movement of water.

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The project also places strong emphasis on supporting natural rainwater flow, especially during the monsoon, to reduce flooding risks and improve groundwater recharge. Once implemented, the Halasuru Lake Citizen’s Waterway is expected to strengthen Bengaluru’s urban water resilience and improve the ecological health of its stormwater network.