Telangana completes Kaleshwaram project in four years, while Karnataka’s Yettinahole project drags on

The BJP Government in Karnataka has now revised the project estimates from Rs 8,323 crore in 2012 to Rs 23,251 crore in 2022

Hyderabad: At a time, when Telangana Government completed Kaleshwaram – the world largest lift irrigation project in about four years, the BJP-ruled government in neighbouring Karnataka is struggling to complete the Yettinahole drinking water project, that was conceived a decade ago. What more, the Government has now revised the project estimates from Rs.8,323 crore in 2012 to Rs.23, 251 crore in 2022. The same was approved by the State cabinet last week.

Yettinahole project proposes to draw 24 tmcft of water from River Yettinahole in Sakleshpur, Hassan district. The project was aimed at addressing the drinking water woes of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Ramanagara and some parts of Bengaluru Urban districts. The Karnataka government cited various reasons for the project delay. “The project cost is escalating due to high cost of land acquisition. Acquisition cost has quadrupled and the cost of all projects in the State is seeing revised estimates,” Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said, according to reports.

The project was first conceived in 2012, when the BJP was in power and two years later, the Congress government revised the project cost to Rs 12,912.36 crore. And, now in 2022, the project cost is increased to Rs.23,251 crore.

The Government has to acquire around 5,860 acres of land in Tumakuru and Doddaballapur taluks, where one acre land in Doddaballapur costs around Rs 8 lakh and while it is only Rs 2 lakh per acre in Tumakuru taluk. But, Tumakuru land owners were seeking equal compensation, Madhuswamy reportedly said.

Even as the inordinate delay continues in Karnataka, Telangana’s Kaleshwaram project was appreciated by many, including the union Ministers. In April last, the union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said Telangana had successfully completed construction of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) to address the water problems and the results were visible to all. At a programme at Shamshabad airport here, the union Minister even said Telangana’s prosperity would lead to the progress of the nation.