BBMP to build road along Vrishabhavathi river

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has planned to build a road along Vrishabhavathi river to ease traffic congestion in Silicon City. The river, which is Bengaluru’s only river, has been reduced to a large drain, and its buffer zone has been encroached upon.

The BBMP has held meetings with various departments to develop the river and its buffer zones. The civic body plans to acquire land through transferrable development rights (TDR) and develop the area around the river, to ensure that sewage water does not enter the river.

According to the officials, not only the riverbed, but also buffer zone is acquired by encroachers. Additionally, the BBMP plans to construct a new road, similar to a flyover, over the rajakaluve to ease traffic. The project aims to clean the Vrishabhavathi river and construct a new road to reduce traffic woes in the area.

Tushar Giri Nath, BBMP Chief Commissioner, said, “We got information that some illegal construction is going on in the buffer zone near the river. If we procure land through TDR, we will make roads, take up cleaning work and afforestation. The main thing is the river is getting polluted due to sewage water. Hence, we discussed with BWSSB, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board department, about their plan to prevent pollution, how they are going to implement it and the period they need to complete the project”.

“There are small sewage pipes underneath and they need to be cleared carefully. We have asked for a plan from BWSSB and asked about encroachments with deputy commissioners. We will put up chainlink fences to prevent throwing of garbage wherever needed and complete the work soon”, the chief commissioner added.