BDA relocates ground-level reservoir; to increase financial burden on BWSSB

Bengaluru: The eighth block of Sir M Visvesvaraya layout in Herohalli will not get a ground-level reservoir (GLR), capable of providing Cauvery water to about 6,000 households a day. At the eleventh hour, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) – which developed the layout – has relocated the critical facility to the sixth block of the same layout, where a newly-constructed GLR is almost ready for operations. 

The relocation is likely to financially burden the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). Besides laying the extra pipelines for about 3 km from one block (6th) to the other (8th), the water board will also need to deploy a pumpset to supply the water. This is expected to result in a recurring daily expenditure of Rs 5 lakh as electricity bill. 

Despite this, what can be noted is that the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has obliged to the BDA’s request to shift the GLR without insisting on the land that was allotted to the water board for constructing a 11.5 million litres capacity GLR at the 8th block many years ago. 

In his letter dated June this year, BWSSB’s Chief Engineer (Projects) Rajiv KN has conveyed that the BDA has not been able to hand over the land in 8th block owing to land litigation.

“In view of this, the engineers concerned are requested to construct the 11.5 ML GLR in the remaining vacant land, next to the existing GLR, in 6th block,” the letter states. 

Sources in the BWSSB wondered how the water board just relocated the GLR without insisting on the BDA land which was earmarked during the formation of the layout. They also questioned the rationale behind shifting the project that will lead to unnecessary operation and maintenance cost. 

“The BWSSB has already constructed an inlet pipeline to the proposed GLR at 8th block from Thippagondanahalli. Even the outlet pipeline too has been laid. Shifting the GLR is not an option. The water board must insist on getting the BDA land,” a source privy to the development said. 

B M Shivashankar, a social activist, challenged the BDA that he would identify the required land in the 8th block of Sir M Visvesvaraya layout if the officials cannot do their job.

“The land is available but the BDA wants to give it to private individuals. Most of the land litigations are the handiwork of BDA. They do not want to give land for public projects,” he said.