Impatient Karnataka govt throws open rainwater theme park in a hurry

On the eve of World Water Day, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) rushed to inaugurate the Visweswarayya Rainwater Theme Park in Jayanagar 5th Block.

Although the board declared that the park, built at Rs3 crore, was completed in 15 months, the two-acre facility has a long way to go before it is opened to public.

“The park could not be completed before inauguration. But we wanted to do it anyway before World Water Day. Only the gardening part and final touches need to be done,” said MLA BN Vijaykumar. 

Although board officials promised that the facility would be ready for use by Ugadi, it is unlikely. Even after it is opened, there will be work in progress, said Shivkumar AR, Scientist, KSCST, IISc.

“We will study what needs to be improved and keep adding to it. Now, there are 26 techniques of harvesting and ground water recharging being displayed,” he said.

The information centre called Thunturu, a two-storey building, contains a 70-seater auditorium.

The auditorium has ‘green ACs’ that consume less power than regular ones. The positioning of windows allows plenty of natural light. The roof has been painted white to deflect heat. During rains, water from the first floor roof that is smaller in area than the ground floor roof will collect in a tank kept on the latter.

This will act as an overhead tank that will be connected to taps and flush tanks on the ground floor. This saves electricity that would be required to pump water to the roof top.