Sunkalpalya Lake in west Bengaluru has remained completely dry for months despite recent rainfall, with residents blaming blocked stormwater inlets and alleged encroachments for preventing water from reaching the waterbody.
The lake, located alongside Uttarahalli Main Road and surrounded by trees and thick vegetation, was reportedly a functioning waterbody until recently. Residents say it has held no water throughout the year, even as several nearby lakes have filled after rain.
Satellite imagery cited in the report suggests that Sunkalpalya Lake has shrunk by nearly 75% over the past decade, with the sharpest decline occurring during the last two years. Residents have raised concerns that the shrinking spread and loss of inflow channels could eventually erase the waterbody.
Randhish, a local resident, said the lake still held some water when he last saw it in 2024. He said its continued dryness was difficult to explain because other lakes in the surrounding area had filled following recent rainfall.
Residents have identified several points where they allege stormwater inlets have been obstructed, including areas near BGS Hospital, religious places and schools. Ajay Kumar HM, a resident, said parts of the stormwater drains had allegedly been encroached upon, preventing rainwater from flowing into the lake.
Residents also allege that road widening along Uttarahalli Main Road reduced the lake’s area. Kumar said the lake had suffered its greatest decline in the past two years after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike began widening the road into a four-lane stretch. According to the residents, nearly 100 feet of the lake area was affected by the project.
The lake’s present condition has raised questions about whether rainfall is reaching it through its original catchment and stormwater channels. Residents want authorities to trace the inflow routes, remove obstructions and clarify why Sunkalpalya Lake has not recovered while neighbouring waterbodies have received water.
The civic body carried out desilting work at the lake a couple of years ago. Residents said rainwater entered the lake after the work, but the waterbody has remained virtually dry this year.
Kumar said residents had brought the lake’s shrinking to the authorities’ attention several times. They approached the BBMP last year, before the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, and the lake was inspected by the BBMP Lake Department. Residents said they did not receive a further response after that inspection.
