Mangaluru: Gujjarakere desilting likely to be completed in a week

MANGALURU: More than 50% of the desilting work at Gujjarakere which has a history of more than 1800 years has been completed. Rejuvenation of Gujjarakere and Kavoorkere is being undertaken under the Smart City Projects.
Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) managing director Mohammed Nazeer told TOI: Though the Gujjarakere desilting began before the lockdown, the works had to be put on hold due to non-availability of labour. Instead of waiting for the next summer to resume desilting, the administration decided to use a dredger and complete the works, that has been in progress for nearly two weeks. This will be followed by landscaping works. It is probably after more than two decades that the desilting work is being taken up and it is expected to be completed in a week’s time. The challenge is to ensure that no damage is caused to the retaining wall.
Further, he said, works related to the restoration of the damaged portions of the retaining wall have been completed. At a few places, the steps that were damaged have also been rebuilt. Almost 90% of the restoration work has been completed. After the monsoon, works related to landscaping, walking track will be taken up. The works are expected to be completed by May next year, Nazeer said.
Work at the Kavoorkere is also in progress and 40% of the desilting work has been completed. The rejuvenation of water bodies project aims to reinvigorate the space and improve the water quality and retainability. The project cost (including the development of two lakes) is an approximate Rs 12 crore.
Gujjarakere Thirtha Samrakshana Vedike has been fighting for the revival of the tank for more than a decade. Last July, a dengue outbreak around Gujjarakere, forced locals to demand revival and desilting of the tank.