REVIVAL OF A HERITAGE TANK IN MULBAGAL

Location:   Mulbagal, Karnataka, India
Project:      Revival of defunct heritage tank (popularly known as "Kalyani")
Duration:    6 months
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Situation

  • Due to years of neglect an ancient kalyani adjoining a mosque was in decrepit condition and did not serve its purpose for storing clean water.
  • Continuous dumping of waste had turned the tank into a dumping-ground infested with rodents.
  • The tank was filled with overgrown weeds and heavy silting.
  • The steps leading to the bottom of the tank were in disrepair.

​ Prerak Trust’s Role

​Prerak Trust were consultants on this project and we managed and coordinated the entire project. Restoration was executed by a large team of engineers and construction experts.
  • We provided technical guidance and served as a liaison between the different stakeholders including government officials, team members and the community.
  • We created a Mulbagal Masjid Kalyani Committee to bring together key stakeholders to participate in the execution of the project.  We created awareness among the residents throughout the project cycle. This fostered active community engagement, which was key to the success of the project. 
  • Developed a strategy to connect with the correct authorities to leverage government funds using our knowledge of the changing national and local policies.
  • Developed and implemented a maintenance plan for the Town Municipal Corporation (TMC) to ensure the project was sustainable.
 

Outcomes

  • A clean storage tank with a capacity to hold 4.5 million liters of water.
  • Groundwater recharge covering about a 5-mile radius in the surrounding area.
  • Aesthetic surroundings for the benefit and enjoyment of the local community.

Tank Revival Impact – Key Highlights​

  • Restoring an existing structure offers a cost efficient solution for the problem of water scarcity. The construction of a new tank can cost multiple times the cost of restoring an existing tank.
  • The revived tank is a water reservoir, source of potable water and provides water for irrigation.
  • Enhances the aesthetic value of a tank and its surroundings by providing residents a place to relax.
  • Provides flood control by preventing soil erosion.
  • Prevents wastage of runoff water during heavy rainfall.
  • Provides drought mitigation by saving precious rainwater. These tanks collect water that would otherwise flow into sewage or to the sea.
  • A place to connect stormwater drains thus preserving rainwater.  A tank is only minimally filled with direct rainfall. Tanks have an enormous storage capacity, and typically, to fill a tank in urban areas, a catchment area has to be 10 times the surface area of the tank. Instead, the addition of drains enables capture and storage of water to the full capacity of the tank.
  • Recharges groundwater thereby raising the surrounding water table.
  • This benefits a 200-metre radius for up to 2 years since the tanks do not have concrete or clay beds thereby allowing for more permeation.
  • Saves energy by reducing the need for pumping groundwater from very deep borewells.