The Ken River differs from the Himalayan rivers in that it flows slowly and does not meander across wide floodplain plains. It is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Central India, maintaining its natural course without interference from dams, diversions, or concrete embankments that disrupt its flow. This river shapes the landscape just as the landscape shapes it, sustaining forests, wildlife, and local communities.
Today, the Ken is at the center of one of India's largest infrastructure projects. The Ken-Betwa linkage project, valued at 44,605 crore rupees, is the first major inter-river connection initiative in the country. It aims to divert water from the Ken basin into Madhya Pradesh's water-scarce Betwa basin in the Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh state.
Through the proposed Daudhan dam, along with a network of canals and tunnels, the project plans to irrigate 10.62 lakh hectares of land, provide drinking water to nearly 62 lakh people, and generate 130 MW of hydroelectric power.
The 427-kilometer long river flows from the Kaimur hills in Madhya Pradesh to its confluence with the Yamuna near Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh. It represents the last major tributary flowing into the Yamuna before the Yamuna reaches the Ganges. Its path reflects the ancient geology of Central India.
Passing through the Bijawar-Panna hills, the river cuts through a dramatic 60-kilometer canyon, reaching a depth of almost 180 meters. Seasonal floods rush into these rocky valleys, creating waterfalls and deep pools that support amazing habitat diversity.
Unlike many regulated rivers, the Ken maintains its natural rhythm. During monsoons, floodwaters replenish the floodplains, carrying nutrient-rich sediments downstream and altering the banks. In summer, deep water bodies serve as vital refuges for fish and other aquatic fauna. These seasonal cycles sustain an entire ecosystem.
The river also flows through the Panna Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO recognized site. The Panna Tiger Reserve is closely linked to the Ken River. This reserve, globally known for its successful tiger reintroduction program launched in 2009, depends on the river year-round.
During harsh years in Bundelkhand, when much of the landscape dries up, the Ken becomes the primary water source for tigers, leopards, sloth bears, sambar, chital, and many other wild animals. The surrounding basin supports tropical dry deciduous forests, dominated by species such as Palash, Boswellia, acacia, and albizia. Researchers have documented at least 81 plant species in the Ken River landscape.
The Ken is home to the critically endangered gharial, one of the world's rarest crocodiles, as well as the vulnerable mugger crocodile. Researchers have also recorded the endangered Ganges river dolphin in parts of the basin. Over 110 species of freshwater fish have been documented here, including the endangered magur catfish and the endangered Indian mosaic eel.
The rocky cliffs around the river also provide one of the most important nesting sites in Central India for vultures. White-rumped, Indian, and red-headed vultures—all now threatened after catastrophic population declines across the subcontinent—continue to breed and rest here. The sky above the river is also shared by cormorants, terns, raptors, and migratory species. Surveys have recorded at least 41 bird species along the Ken, nearly a quarter of which are winter migrants.
Rivers are often assessed by their length, storage capacity, or water volume. However, the Ken performs an ecological function that is difficult to quantify numerically. Every monsoon, it transports sediments that replenish downstream habitats. Seasonal floods nourish riparian forests, stabilizing banks and providing food and shelter for wildlife. Its continuous stretches also allow fish and other aquatic species to move between breeding and feeding grounds, connecting forests that help animals disperse across a wider landscape.
The river has also influenced human history. Locally known as Karnavati, it features in regional folklore and flows past the picturesque Pandav waterfalls, associated with Mahabharata legends. Nearby hills also hold prehistoric rock paintings, indicating that people lived near the Ken thousands of years ago.
As work progresses on the Ken-Betwa linkage project, the river has become the subject of both development planning and environmental debate. Scientific assessments, including studies by the Wildlife Institute of India and the National Centre for River Research, note that the proposed reservoir could inundate about 258 square kilometers of habitat within the Panna Tiger Reserve, including areas used by tigers and nesting vultures.
Researchers have also observed that altering the river's natural flow through dams and sluices could affect aquatic habitats and disrupt the ecological processes supporting biodiversity. At the same time, the project has sparked protests from tribal communities and farmers in some areas of Madhya Pradesh. They demand transparent land surveys, adequate compensation, and fair rehabilitation before any displacement begins.
Persistent rains in the low-lying areas of Nepal have begun to affect the border regions of Bihar. As a result of these precipitation, a rise in the water level of the Gandak River has been noted.
Due to this situation, a discharge of 85 thousand cusecs is currently being carried out from the Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar, located in Bagha. Employees of the Department of Water Resources are monitoring the water level both at the barrage and in the river itself.
According to data, further changes in the water flow may occur depending on the rainfall in the Nepalese catchment basins. Although the situation is currently under control, residents living along the river have been advised to remain vigilant.
The administration stated that if the rainy season in Nepal continues, the water flow in the Gandak River could increase even further. In this regard, relevant departments have been placed on high alert. Special attention is being paid to flood-affected areas to handle any emergency in a timely manner. Local residents and farmers are also closely monitoring the water level in the river.
Bangalore faces a paradox: the city may experience water shortages in April, but flooding problems by September. However, long before the appearance of cisterns, pipelines, and pumping stations, the city possessed its own method for solving these issues.
Over five hundred years ago, a complex interconnected network of stormwater canals, known as Rajakaluves, was created, connecting lakes across the landscape. During heavy rains, excess water naturally flowed from one lake to another, preventing street flooding. In drier months, the same system helped replenish groundwater and accumulate future water reserves.
One surviving section of this historical network is the K100 waterway. This canal, which previously served as an open drain carrying about 130 million liters of untreated sewage daily, has been restored into a thriving public corridor. Now people walk here, birds have returned, and rainwater can flow freely again.
The restoration of K100 is not just cleaning up an abandoned canal; it is reviving a centuries-old water management system that allowed Bangalore to thrive without a major river. Long before water was pumped from the Cauvery, Bangalore relied almost entirely on rainfall. In the 16th century, the city's founder, Kempe Gowda, developed a network of interconnected Rajakaluves that directed excess rainwater from one lake to another through Bangalore's natural valleys.
This system slowed the flow of rainwater, accumulated it in a chain of lakes, replenished groundwater, and reduced the risk of flooding, helping the city balance water supply and flood control for centuries. However, as Bangalore expanded, many of these canals gradually disappeared under roads and buildings, others narrowed, and some were converted into sewer channels instead of stormwater drains.
The K100 waterway was no exception. Over the years, it began carrying nearly 130 million liters of untreated sewage daily. The banks of the canal were covered with solid waste, and the canal became known more for its foul odor than for its original role in Bangalore's water supply system.
The K100 restoration project first required addressing the pollution problem. The Karnataka government, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), MOD Foundation, and several technical partners were involved. The first step was stopping the inflow of sewage into the canal. The channel bed was cleared, decades of accumulated waste were removed, and new sewerage infrastructure was built to divert sewage away from the stormwater canal. The capacity of wastewater treatment was also increased, which reduced the amount of untreated sewage entering the canal from approximately 130 million liters per day to about 5 million liters.
Only after improving water quality did work begin on the surrounding landscape. Pedestrian paths were established along large sections of the canal, trees were planted to create shaded public areas, and abandoned edges were transformed into accessible spaces allowing people to reconnect with the water. Today, K100 represents a green-blue corridor nearly 12 kilometers long, combining ecological restoration with the creation of public space.
Bangalore's water resource issues are not new. The Rajakaluve system, existing over 500 years ago, was originally designed to solve many of the city's modern problems. By connecting lakes in Bangalore's valleys, it allowed excess rainwater to naturally move across the landscape while replenishing groundwater. In an interview with South First, urban designer Naresh Narasimhan, who developed the K100 Citizen's Waterway Project, noted that Bangalore already has an extensive water network—it simply stopped functioning as intended.
The city receives between 900 and 1000 millimeters of rainfall annually, but a significant portion of this water mixes with untreated sewage in stormwater drains before reaching downstream lakes. According to Narasimhan, it is crucial to view sewage as a resource, not waste, for a city often facing water scarcity. The K100 project reflects this shift in thinking, rethinking drainage not as forgotten infrastructure but as part of a living water system capable of improving the environment and creating valuable public spaces.
The success of this project points to a broader possibility: there are still over 842 kilometers of Rajakaluves in Bangalore, many of which continue to link the city's historic chain of lakes. Environmentalists have long argued that restoring these canals alongside rejuvenating Bangalore's lakes can improve groundwater recharge, strengthen the city's water security, and reduce urban flooding. While K100 itself will not solve Bangalore's water crisis, it serves as an important reminder that some of the city's most effective climate solutions are not novelties; they were part of Bangalore's landscape for centuries, awaiting restoration rather than reinvention.
