The residents of Malleswaram and Sadashivanagara held a protest against the announcement of funds allocated to convert Sankey Tank Lake into a ‘Tourist Plaza’, in Bengaluru, on Saturday, March 4.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
Bengaluru
The residents of Malleswaram and Sadashivanagar on Saturday, March 4, held a protest against the announcement of funds allocated to convert Sankey Tank Lake into a ‘Tourist Plaza’, in the recent Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Budget.
Citizens for Sankey, a residents’ welfare group, said that the tourist plaza would further destroy the ecology of Sankey Tank Lake, which has already seen reduced shade cover and an increase in temperatures from the concrete work and structures built on it.
“Sankey lake is a water body that needs to be preserved and kept away from too much human intervention. We have to preserve our lake and not look at it as something for entertainment. It is disheartening to know BBMP wants to make it a tourist destination. This will completely destroy the lake. We, as citizens, will not allow this to happen,” said Preeti, a member of Citizens of Sankey.
Another resident said that the government should focus on transport and mobility plan of the city rather than spending on flyovers and tourist plazas. Kimsuka, member of Citizens for Sankey, said, “The BBMP’s Budget has allocated funds for more flyovers and to convert Sankey Tank into a ‘Tourist Plaza’. The government’s refusal to create a holistic transport and mobility plan for Bengaluru is concerning to us all.”
In the recent BBMP Budget, the civic body had proposed to develop ten new City Plazas in residential areas at a total cost of ₹50 crores to add to the beauty of Bengaluru and to attract tourists. “These plazas will have fountains, play areas, food courts and open areas for rest and recuperation,” the Budget stated.
Apart from this, the BBMP had also proposed three new tourist circuits to be developed in 2023-24 at a cost of ₹180 crore in Kempambudhi Lake – Bull Temple Road vicinity, Sankey Lake – Kadu Malleshwara Temple vicinity and Halasuru Lake – Someshwar Temple vicinity.
