The K100 Citizen’s Waterway Project stands as a model for how Indian cities can reclaim their natural water systems by turning forgotten infrastructure into living, breathing spaces for citizens and nature alike.
Published Nov 07, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 07, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Naresh Narasimhan says the K100 Citizen’s Waterway Project stands as a model for how Indian cities can reclaim their natural water systems by turning forgotten infrastructure into living, breathing spaces for citizens and nature alike.
Synopsis: Water is the elixir of life. The K100 Citizen’s Waterway Project reimagines Bengaluru’s stormwater drains and aims to transform neglected grey infrastructure into a vibrant public space and ecological asset.
The K100 Citizen’s Waterway Project, a 9.6-kilometre pilot initiative, is reimagining one of Bengaluru’s stormwater drains as an integral part of the city’s water ecosystem.
Conceived by architect and urban designer Naresh Narasimhan, the project aims to transform neglected grey infrastructure into a vibrant public space and ecological asset.
Speaking to Nolan Pinto on Let’s Talk Water, Narasimhan explained the vision behind the project. “Bengaluru is the largest city in the world not next to a natural feature, particularly not next to a body of water.”
He added that historically, lakes in the city were connected through Rajakaluves (king’s canals), which carried overflow from one lake to another. These were sources of drinking water, known as Pavitra Neeru (holy water).
Over time, the city’s dependence shifted to the Cauvery River, with water pumped uphill from hundreds of kilometres away. But according to Naresh, the city has its own Cauvery in the form of rainfall.
“Bengaluru has another Cauvery, every year we get 900-1000 mm of rain, which is just falling into these rajakaluves and getting mixed up with illegal sewage and going on spoiling the country side like Bellandur.”
Naresh said the K100 project has in a way changed that mindset. “Sewage is 85 -90 percent water. We should not have a dispose mentality in the city. Just like in solid waste, where we are talking about segregating, re-using. Why are we not recycling water? It is a huge resource, Bengaluru is starved for water. Unless we husband it, unless we conserve it, 90 percent is recoverable,” he emphasised.
Beyond its environmental impact, the project also offers social and aesthetic value. “This canal, about 13 km long, allows you to walk comfortably for nearly 8 km. It’s not just about water, it’s about creating a visual and public resource for the city,” he said.
The initiative has been driven by a collaboration between multiple government departments, including the BBMP, BWSSB, etc., under the leadership of the Government of Karnataka.
“I give a lot of credit to the then Chief Engineer Prahlad and many others who believed this polluted, disused drain could be turned into a green real estate asset,” Narasimhan added.
Calling it “urban design at its best,” he described the project as the first new park created for Bengaluru in nearly four decades.
The K100 Citizen’s Waterway Project stands as a model for how Indian cities can reclaim their natural water systems by turning forgotten infrastructure into living, breathing spaces for citizens and nature alike.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
