Bellandur Lake is the largest lake in Bengaluru area and offers visitors an extremely scenic view. It plays a key role in the Bellandur drainage system. The lake is a massive water body and is spread over a catchment area of around 148 square kilometers. Bellandur Lake attracts many tourists with the serene, natural beauty of the lake and its surroundings.

Brief History

Bellandur Lake serves the south-eastern and southern areas of the Bengaluru metropolis. The lake gets water from three lakes upstream. It flows down to the Pinakani River basin through the Varthur Lake. In the earlier days, the Bellandur Lake served as a beautiful and clean recreational destination for the locals and the tourists. It was used for several recreational activities. The agricultural needs of the area were also served by the lake.

Wild Life Around the Lake

The abundance of greenery and the clean, flowing water ensured a thriving wildlife in the surrounding areas. Various varieties of birds such as kingfisher, pigeons, parakeets, kites and parrots could be spotted. A number of varieties of fish could be found in the lake. The surrounding area was home to species like King Cobra, rat snake, monster lizards and others.

Problems Affecting the Lake Today

The lack of development of the lake is a loss to the potential tourism possibilities that the lake offers. Fishing or boating is currently not possible because of the lack of facilities and infrastructure. The rapid urbanization of the surrounding areas has resulted in the setting up of many commercial and residential projects, a good number of them completely violating the rules of ecological protection. The enhanced silt movement has affected the flow of the lake and has severely dented the ecological balance of what was an amazing water body, just a few years ago.

Unplanned Civilization Has Taken a Toll

Unfortunately, pollution is a major problem facing the lake because of the heavy flow of untreated sewage, chiefly from Challaghtatta and Koramangala into the lake. This has severely affected the water quality and also made wild life sparse in the area around the lake. The Bellandur Lake is a classic example of how unplanned development can affect our natural resources. Sewage water also flows in from Ulsoor Lake, Madivaala Lake and others. The good news is that locals have raised massive and sustained protests against the pollution of Bellandur Lake which has alerted the authorities to the dangers of neglecting the issue any further.

The Rehabilitation Plan

Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) project has been devised to tackle the serious and growing pollution problem of the Bellandur Lake and is expected to be taken up soon on a war footing. The BBMP has constructed a new fencing around the Bellandur Lake to prevent dumping of debris, construction waste and industrial chemicals. The residents of the area too are actively contributing to the Save Bellandur Lake movement by carrying out cleaning programs and by planting trees.

The government has come up with a plan which involves construction of two 66-ft wide drains on the north and south side of the lake. This will help divert the sewage coming various sources. The drains will circumvent the bund of the lake. It will have outlets at Yamalur and Bellandur village. The drained water will go through a comprehensive and advanced filtering process before it is drained out. The administration will use filtration materials such as gravels and vegetation. A polishing pond is also part of the project to cleanse the water.

How to Reach

By Bus

Bellandur Lake is 13 km from the Bengaluru main city. There are many buses and taxis operating on this route.

By Rail

The nearest railway station is Bengaluru Railway Station at 17 km. Yeshwantpur Railway Station is 22 km from Bellandur Lake.

By Air

Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport is 52 km from Bellandur Lake.