The water bodies on the northern side of VIP Road, between the Dum Dum Park and Bangur crossings, are being desilted as part of a project to improve their condition following orders from the National Green Tribunal.
The state public works department is desilting the water bodies, removing water hyacinths and other growths and will create walkways along its edges.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had in March 2022 directed the state government to “clear the water body of all hydrophytes, shrubbery, waste material, sediments through dredging”. The NGT struck down allegations made in a petition before it that the water bodies between “Lake Town Bangur More and Dum Dum Park” had been encroached upon.
“We are now clearing the overgrowths from the water bodies and also dredging them. About 1.2 metres depth of sediment will be cleared,” a PWD engineer said.
About six families that lived on islands on the water bodies have been relocated, said another PWD engineer.
The families lived on strips of land cutting across the waterbodies that snapped connections between them.
“We have plans to cut open the strips of land and make the water bodies interconnected,” said the engineer.
The Rs 9-crore project started about 40 days ago and will be completed by the end of December.
An 8ft tall see-through fence will be built surrounding the water body. There will be an 8ft wide walkway along the edge of the water body. Besides, there will be another pedestrian walk outside the fence, along the service road running parallel to the VIP Road, sources said.
