Bengaluru: Retired Army Captain Revives 14 Lakes By Restoring 100-Year-Old Raja Kaluve

A retired Army Captain, Santosh Kumar, helped revive 14 lakes near Bengaluru by restoring around 4 km of century-old Raja Kaluve water channels. With support from residents and authorities, the restoration improved rainwater flow, groundwater recharge and flood management.

When Captain Santosh Kumar retired from the Indian Army in 2008 and moved to Muthanallur near Bengaluru, he began noticing a recurring problem during the monsoon. Whenever heavy rain lashed the area, the roads would quickly turn into streams, while several nearby lakes remained surprisingly dry. The contrast puzzled him, especially as the same pattern continued year after year. While many residents had grown accustomed to the flooding, Captain Kumar decided to investigate why rainwater was not reaching the lakes.

Between 2017 and 2019, he obtained old survey maps of Bengaluru dating back to 1923, prepared during the British Raj. The maps revealed a network of ancient water channels known as 'Raja Kaluves' that once carried rainwater from one water body to another. However, many of these channels had disappeared from the ground. A survey found that buildings had been constructed over some of the channels, while others had been completely lost over the years.

The 100-Year-Old Map

Determined to trace the forgotten waterways, Captain Kumar studied the British-era maps in detail. With support from local residents and the Minor Irrigation Department, he identified several old channels between the Muthanallur and Bidaraguppe lakes and began efforts to clear them.

In total, around 4 km of the Raja Kaluve was restored, allowing rainwater to flow through the traditional drainage network and reach 14 previously parched lakes.

Captain Kumar believes encroachment on these natural water channels is one of the major reasons for urban flooding.

"If you block a Raja Kaluve, the water will find its old path during heavy rains," he said.

He believes cities do not always need massive new infrastructure projects to tackle flooding. Instead, protecting traditional water channels and removing encroachments can help restore natural drainage systems.

"We just need to protect the natural channels our ancestors built and clear the encroachments. This is true not just for Bengaluru, but for every city in India," he said.

Clearing The Raja Kaluve

By restoring the Raja Kaluve, Captain Kumar helped ensure that rainwater could flow naturally towards the surrounding lakes. The restoration not only helped recharge groundwater but also reduced the risk of flooding during the monsoon.

With support from local residents, the district administration, the Minor Irrigation Department and gram panchayats, Captain Kumar helped clear a 4-km stretch of the channel and connect it to Battalakere Lake.

The impact became visible during the following monsoon. Rainwater began flowing into the lakes instead of accumulating on roads and flooding nearby areas. The flooding situation improved, while groundwater levels also rose.

What began as a retired Army officer's curiosity about flooded roads and dry lakes eventually became an effort to restore a centuries-old water network, demonstrating how protecting traditional waterways can help address both urban flooding and water scarcity.