Revival of Richmond Park well

Richmond Park is located in Richmond Town in South-Central Bengaluru (12.96348, 77.60187). The park is spread across an area of 2.54 acres. According to Wikipedia, Richmond Town was established during British rule (cantonment) in 1883, and Richmond Park had a bandstand where the army band used to play. Earlier called the Kere Munishwara Park, it is surrounded by the Kere Munishwara Swamy Temple to the west, and the erstwhile Akkithimmannahalli Lake which is now the Karnataka State Hockey Stadium towards the south-west. There is an old open well which has been rejuvenated and now brimming with water. 

The well: The well is 5 ft in diameter and 25 ft in depth and lined with concrete. According to well digger Ramakrishnappa, who cleaned the well, it could be 40 - 50yrs old based on the type of concrete rings used.

The revival: The well revival has been funded by SayTrees and supported by Biome Environmental Trust. Well digger Ramakrishnappa (Ph:9743538649) and his team of 5 Bhovis /Mannu Vaddars worked on cleaning the well for 10 days in July 2021.

Waste removal from the well

    

Painting the well with Lime locally called Sunna

After the well revival water is used used for gardening.

Water level in the well: According to Ramakrishna, the groundwater table in the Richmond Town area is high and many open wells hold water. The hockey stadium next to the park also acts as a recharge zone for the well. While cleaning the well, Ramakrishna hit water at just 4ft, which is also the current water level. Two days after cleaning, the water in the well was clean.

                   

Picture of the well before the revival(June 2019) and The water level in the well after two days of cleaning.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has posted about this well on their Facebook page: Click here

https://www.facebook.com/mowrrdgr/photos/a.336273589900494/1920076971520140/?type=3&sfnsn=wiwspwa

- Rakshitha M L