Yettinahole Drinking Water Project Shows Promising Results: Deputy Chief Minister Announces Successful Experimental Operation
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced a significant milestone in the Yettinahole drinking water project on Wednesday, reporting that the experimental operation has been successful. The project, which has faced several delays, is now nearing completion and will soon be inaugurated.
Shivakumar, who also oversees the irrigation portfolio, inspected the Yettinahole project at Kasavanahalli in Hassan district. He highlighted that despite some delays, the project’s progress is noteworthy. “The Yettinahole project is a significant endeavor, and the experimental operation I flagged off today has been successful. The work is now largely complete, though we experienced some delays,” he stated.
The Yettinahole project is designed to address water scarcity issues in multiple districts, including Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Chikkamagalur. It aims to supply 24.01 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of drinking water, benefiting approximately 75.59 lakh people across 38 towns and 6,657 villages in 29 taluks. Additionally, 527 tanks in the seven districts will be replenished with 9.953 TMC of water.
The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 23,251 crore, has faced delays due to electrical issues. Shivakumar noted that while five of the eight planned barrages are completed, the experimental operation has successfully lifted around 1,500 cusecs of water.
The project spans 252.87 km, with 164 km of work completed and an additional 25.87 km canal under construction. Challenges related to forest land acquisition have impacted progress beyond the 42 km mark. To address this, an escape canal is being planned to supply water to Vani Vilas Sagar.
Shivakumar confirmed that the government is actively working on resolving land acquisition issues and other challenges, including leakages along the route. The project has utilized German technology for Real-Time Discharge Measurement to accurately monitor water flow, with 13.34 TMC of water flow recorded between June 1 and August 20.
The Deputy Chief Minister expressed optimism that the remaining issues will be resolved promptly and reaffirmed that the project is expected to be completed by 2027. As of the end of July 2024, works worth Rs 16,152 crores have been completed.
In response to concerns about unscientific excavations, Shivakumar assured that all issues will be addressed in due course. The Chief Minister is expected to inaugurate the project before the water levels drop, marking a significant achievement for the state’s water infrastructure initiatives.
