This weekend, we decided to drive down to Hesaraghatta Lake, which is a nice place for a weekend getaway. We left home around 10 am and reached the Lake by 11 after a detour around the scenic Hesaraghatta Main Road that connects Jalahalli to Hesaraghatta. The road is well maintained and is lined with small farms and plots of agricultural land, and is not very busy.
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| Entrance to Hesaraghatta lake walkway |
The entrance to Hesaraghatta lake area has ample parking for cars and vehicles
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| Hesaraghatta Lake lookout and walkway |
There is a well paved walkway and lookout around the south side of Hesaraghatta lake.
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| A view of a farm and coconut grove adjacent to the lake |
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| Durgamba Devi Temple on the bank of Hesaraghatta Lake |
Hesaraghatta Lake is approachable by road from Bengaluru at a distance of 26.5 km to the north-west of the City. It is a manmade reservoir located 18 km to the north-west of Bengaluru. The lake was created in the year 1894 across the Arkavathy River to meet the drinking water needs of the city. Sir K. Seshadri Iyer, the then Dewan of erstwhile Mysore state and the then Chief Engineer of Mysuru, M. C. Hutchins, planned to build the scheme called the "Chamarajendra Water Works" to store a three-years' water supply to the city.
Reports and articles about Lakes around Bangalore
- WETLANDS: TREASURE OF BANGALORE [IIsC - ABUSED, POLLUTED, ENCROACHED & VANISHING] - The current investigation focused on 105 lakes (water bodies) in Bangalore. Among these one season monitoring was done in 25 lakes as these lakes were covered with macrophytes – water hyacinth throughout the year. The study reveals that about 98% lakes have been encroached and about 90% lakes are affected due to the sustained inflow of untreated sewage and industrial effluents.
- Declare Hesarghatta as a conservation reserve: environmental activists to CM - Environmentalists have pointed out that the Hesaraghatta lakebed area and grasslands in the surrounding catchment area are an important reservoir of biodiversity and a refuge for endangered wildlife species like the lesser florican and leopard, yet remain outside the protected area network and face severe threats to its biodiversity.
- No amount of rain can put life in Arkavathi river - The Arkavathi river originates on the Nandi hills and joins the Cauvery river at Sangama. However, there is no water flowing in Arkavathi till Thippagondanahalli (T G Halli) reservoir.
- Hesaraghatta Lake to be rejuvenated; to store water from Yettinahole project - Although it now wears a parched look, Hesaraghatta Lake could soon be brimming with fresh water. Bengaluru development minister KJ George on Wednesday said that the government was planning on reviving the water body in order to ensure that it can store water that will be pumped into it from the Yettinahole River diversion project.
- Construction work banned around Hesaraghatta Lake - Nelamangala Planning Authority warns against investing in real estate within 1km radius from the banks of Arkavati and Kumudvati rivers. Activists say notice is an eye-wash.
