Chitradurga
A long-awaited dream of people in drought-prone Chitradurga district moved closer to reality on Sunday as water from the Bhadra Upper River Project was experimentally released into the Chitradurga branch canal. District in-charge Minister T Raghumurthy performed a puja and formally launched the water release at the intake point of the Bhadra reservoir near Lakkavalli in Chikkamagaluru district.
The water will travel about 142 km before reaching Chitradurga. The development has brought relief and excitement among farmers, irrigation activists and residents who have been campaigning for Bhadra water for several decades. Raghumurthy described the occasion as a historic day and recalled the contributions of former Chief Ministers, ministers, farmers, seers and activists who worked for the project over the years.
The Bhadra Upper River Project has an allocation of 29.9 TMC of water, including 17.4 TMC from the Tunga and 12.5 TMC from the Bhadra. The project, currently estimated to cost Rs 21,500 crore, is expected to benefit four districts—Chikkamagaluru, Tumakuru, Chitradurga and Davanagere—and 12 taluks. It aims to provide irrigation to around 2.25 lakh hectares and fill 367 lakes.
Raghumurthy said around Rs 11,500 crore had already been spent on the project and work to fill lakes was underway. He said the project had received financial support under successive governments led by different parties. He also said the Centre’s promised Rs 5,300 crore assistance had not yet been released, which could have accelerated the work. The project is expected to be completed by 2028.
The minister credited Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Water Resources Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy with helping resolve several hurdles related to water allocation and implementation. He said the government would not politicise the project and urged all parties to work together in the interests of farmers. The water released on Sunday is expected to reach Gonuru within a week. A large public meeting and felicitation programme will be organised in Chitradurga after the water reaches the district, with leaders who contributed to the project being invited.
