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Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology to use Kankaria design for Bhopal Lake makeover


Dayananda Yumlembam, TNN | Jan 30, 2012, 03.23AM IST


AHMEDABAD: City's Kankaria Lakefront project will lend its design to the country's oldest manmade lake in Bhopal. The Madhya Pradesh government has awarded Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (Cept) University the project of making a detailed concept plan for the lake.

After studying the present scenario of the lake, experts at Cept University have planned to divide the 25 kilometer-long periphery of the lake into five zones including an 'active recreational zone,' which will resemble the revenue generating model of the Kankaria Lake.

The Bhopal Lake, known as the Upper Lake or 'Bada tal,' was built around a thousand years ago and is perhaps the oldest man-made lake in the country. The lake spans over 31 square km and was built by Raja Bhoj in the 11th century by constructing an earthen dam across the Kolans River.

"The zone-1 of the Bhopal Lake will resemble the Kankaria Lakefront. With eateries, tourist shopping, open plazas and landscaped areas, the zone will be alive with visitors and recreational activities," said Subhrangsu Goswami, faculty of Planning and Public Policy at Cept University, who is handling the project with another faculty Saswat Bandyopadhyay.

"The officials of the municipal corporation at Bhopal have shown keen interest in the model and the design of Kankaria Lakefront project in Ahmedabad, which is one of the most commercially successful models. They asked during various interactions to design the lake along the lines of the existing Kankaria Lake," said Goswami.

Cept University was selected from among 32 consultants, including seven international consultancy firms which applied for the project.

Apart from an 18-hole golf course and a convention centre, the lakefront will also have a "nature trail," which has been inspired by the "heritage walk" of Ahmedabad city. "The plan is to make an interesting walking trail amidst the nature to provide opportunity for visitors to get close to nature."

While a rough plan has been proposed to the Madhya Pradesh Government, Cept University will prepare a detailed plan which is slated for completion in the next 10 months.