Walkers at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens get the Yeddyurappa’s ear

A walk in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens could soon prove a feast to all the senses. After you’ve taken in the flowers and the foliage, you could head for the food court.

On Tuesday morning, as chief minister BS Yeddyurappa joined early-morning walkers at the city’s cherished landmark, he offered a boost to several new projects at Lalbagh, and sanctioned Rs30 crore for the work.

Yeddyurappa came to the garden at 6.50 am along with some ministers, the city’s mayor and deputy mayor, and other officials. He spent nearly three hours in the 240-acre garden, meeting morning walkers and listening to their suggestions, as development work is being planned in the park.

The chief minister entered the garden though the Double Road (KH Road) gate and went straight to the Lotus Pond. The next stop was the sewage waste treatment plant. The Lalbagh faces, like the rest of the city, a severe water shortage.

The chief minister covered the entire length of Lalbagh, as N Jayaram, the director of the horticulture department, and his deputy, Jagadeesh, briefed him.

Among the projects planned is a laser show that will tell the tale of the growth of Bendakaluru to the city of Bengaluru. A rock garden is expected to come up on 40 acres of low-lying land in the park. Landscape expert Leela Kumar is expected to be the brain behind this project, which will have a musical fountain resembling one in Singapore.

The Rs30 crore will be partially used in the development of a mega waterfall, one that would mimic the Niagara Falls. However, to develop such a waterfall, there is need for clean water in the lake, and this is one area that the chief minister addressed, as he told officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board that they should find a solution to the flow of water in the storm water drain, which empties its filth into the lake.

Officials of the horticulture department took the chief minister near the Siddapura gate, where they plan to construct a food court for visitors. The chief minister inspected the place, and agreed that food should be available to visitors to the garden.

Yeddyurappa’s visit seems to have breathed life into the aquarium, which has been closed for some time now. It is set to reopen soon.

Horticulture officials, pleased with the chief minister’s visit to the garden, said, “We have been planning these projects for quite some time. We are glad that the chief minister has extended support to these plans by sanctioning Rs30 crore.”

In the chief minister’s entourage for the morning walk were ministers Katta Subramanya Naidu, Renukacharya, Ramachandragowda, BDA commissioner H Siddaiah, BBMP commissioner Bharat Lal Meena and officials of the BWSSB and the horticulture department. The chief minister also had breakfast at the park, downing idlis, vadas, khara bath and kesari bath. He washed down the breakfast with a cup of hot coffee. And then, he was all set for another day.