A new hotspot for Bengaluru city’s adventure lovers in the offing
Bengaluru: A new water sports destination on Bengaluru-Mysore Road will soon be available to adventure buffs from the city. The Ramanagara District authorities are finalizing plans to establish a water park in Kanva reservoir near Chennapattana.
Located about 70 km from Bengaluru and 8 km off the Bengaluru-Mysore highway near Chennapattana, the dam had remained dry for more than three years. But due to recent channeling of water from the Shivanasamudra plant, the dam will now be used as a storage tank for agricultural purposes.
A meeting was held in this regard last week between the water sports developers, local MLA Mr C P Yogeshwar and DC of Ramanagara.
A proposal has been prepared, after which the tenders will be called. An adventure sports company from Bengaluru is already holding talks with the district administration to plan out the different activities possible.
“While the reservoir can be used for water sports such as kayaking, speed boat riding, banana boat rides, there are a few hillocks around the reservoir which could be used for trekking and bird watching. There has been great demand for water sports, but there are very few places to go to. The water sports in the Cauvery river are seasonal, but at Kanva dam it can be organized throughout the year,” said the adventure tour operator.
The district administration feels that the large tourist traffic on the Bengaluru-Mysore road could help bring visitors to the new adventure destination. Also there are a number of destinations around Bengaluru, but most of them are either over-crowded or have been visited multiple times by many Bengalureans.
“But the reservoir and hillocks around the Kanva dam are hardly explored and there is already a guest house built by the minor irrigation department, which could be upgraded for the camp site. There will also be tented accommodation for adventure groups and activities like night trekking and camping will be encouraged within the camp site. The bird fauna in the nearby wooded areas is plentiful and it attracts several bird watchers every year,” ended the adventure tour operator.
