A Watershed Moment for Bengaluru
Cauvery is not just a river for us—she is a lifeline, an emotion, and a symbol of devotion. From the Brahmagiri hills of Kodagu, where she was born, to the bustling city of Bengaluru, Mother Cauvery has always nourished our land and people. Today, as the Cauvery Stage V Project has come to fruition, we find ourselves at a critical moment of transformation—turning the challenges of the past into a promising future for all of Bengaluru.
The rapid growth of Bengaluru has brought many challenges concerning water supply with it. With the city's lakes shrinking and overdependence on borewells, groundwater depletion has become a significant issue. The Cauvery Stage V Project, implemented with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is a bold and ambitious initiative aimed at revamping the city’s water supply infrastructure. This project, with a sanctioned cost of ₹4336 crore, will augment Bengaluru's water supply by an additional 775 MLD (million liters per day), benefiting over 50 lakh residents across the newly added 110 villages in the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) area. With this project alone, we are increasing the city’s total water supply capacity by more than 50%—a feat that makes it one of the largest water supply augmentation projects in India.
To put it into perspective, the existing water supply for Bengaluru was 1,450 MLD, which was implemented in four previous stages over several decades. However, in a single stage—Stage V—we are augmenting the supply by 775 MLD, which equals more than half of the existing capacity. This means more than 4 lakh households in the 110 newly added villages will receive Cauvery water, and over 50 lakh people will benefit from a reliable supply.
Our vision is one of inclusivity, ensuring that no part of Bengaluru is left behind. In Yeshwanthpura, 13 villages will receive 110 MLD of water, providing 48,000 new water connections. Dasarahalli will receive 70 MLD for 6 villages, benefiting 37,500 households. Byatarayanapura will receive 170 MLD, reaching 26 villages with 73,500 new connections. Bangalore South will be supplied with 215 MLD, covering 32 villages and providing 96,750 connections, while Mahadevapura will receive 210 MLD for 33 villages, ensuring 93,100 connections, along with this Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bommanahalli are to benefit. This transformation, backed by careful planning and execution, represents true progress for the people of Bengaluru, with water reaching even the most underserved areas.
Our focus has not only been on increasing water supply but also on ensuring efficiency and sustainability. The state-of-the-art water treatment facility at TK Halli uses Pulsator technology—a cutting-edge method that cleans water more efficiently by quickly removing impurities with minimal waste. This makes it one of the largest and most efficient facilities in India, processing 775 million liters of water every day while keeping wastage below 1%, ensuring that almost every drop is utilised.
Supporting this facility are three-stage booster pumping stations at TK Halli, Harohalli, and Tataguni, which work together to push water through a massive steel pipeline that's 3 meters wide—about the width of a two-lane road—and stretches over 70 kilometers (approximately the distance from Bengaluru to Kolar). This pipeline not only covers a great distance but also lifts the water up by 450 meters in elevation, equivalent to climbing a hill taller than the Eiffel Tower. This remarkable engineering feat ensures that water reaches even the highest points of our city.
The sheer scale of this project—utilising 145,000 metric tons of steel plates and requiring over 24 million man-hours, which is like having 12,000 people working full-time for an entire year—is a testament to what we can achieve when we put our minds to it. All in all, we can proudly call it an Engineering Marvel!
It is said, "ದೇವರು ವರವನ್ನೂ ಕೊಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ, ಶಾಪವನ್ನೂ ಕೊಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲ—ಅವಕಾಶಗಳನ್ನು ಮಾತ್ರ ಕೊಡುತ್ತಾರೆ" (God neither blesses nor curses - He only provides opportunities). This project represents the opportunity we seized to ensure the city’s long-term water security. Today, with the completion of Cauvery Stage V, Bengaluru is a water-sufficient city. But our work does not end here—our vision is to make Bengaluru a water-surplus city by 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi once mocked Bengaluru as a "tanker city". Our response to such remarks has always been clear: “ಟೀಕೆಗಳು ಸಾಯುತ್ತವೆ, ಆದರೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಉಳಿದಿದೆ” (Criticism fades away, but the work endures). This transformation of Bengaluru’s water infrastructure stands as a powerful testament to the unyielding spirit of Kannadigas—a spirit that does not bend under criticism but rises to meet every challenge head-on.
Mother Cauvery is not just bringing water; she is bringing hope, progress, and prosperity to every household in Bengaluru. It is our privilege to ensure that her blessings flow through our taps, sustaining and nurturing our people. Let us welcome Cauvery to our homes on the 16th of October and continue on our journey towards building a prosperous, sustainable, and resilient Bengaluru—a city worthy of her grace and benevolence.
(The writer is KPCC president, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Water Resources, Bengaluru Development Minister, Government of Karnataka)
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka cabinet approves formation of separate Dharwad Municipal Corporation
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet has approved a formation of separate Dharwad city corporation. Alongside, a 15% hike in fares across the four state transport corporations was also approved. The revised fares will come into effect on January 5.
Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil, addressing the media at the Committee Hall of Vidhana Soudha, provided details about the decision. He explained that the last fare revision for BMTC was a decade ago when diesel cost Rs 60.98 per litre. Since then, operational costs have risen significantly.
Diesel expenditure for the four corporations has increased from Rs 9.16 crore to Rs 13.21 crore, and personnel costs have grown from Rs 12.85 crore to Rs 18.36 crore. The daily operational burden now stands at Rs 9.56 crore. The fare hike is expected to generate an additional Rs 74.85 crore in monthly revenue without burdening the state exchequer, as Rs 5,015 crore has already been allocated for the Shakti Yojana this fiscal year.
Minister Patil announced that the Cabinet has decided to bifurcate the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation into two independent municipal bodies.
The Cabinet approved the construction of a fishing port in Hejamady village, Udupi, with a revised estimate of Rs 209.13 crore. Additionally, Rs 84.57 crore has been sanctioned for the modernization and dredging of fishing ports.
In a move to strengthen cow shelters, Rs 10.50 crore has been allocated for projects in 14 districts. The Cabinet also approved constructing a building for Visvesvaraya Technical University in Chikkaballapur district at Rs 149.75 crore.
The Cabinet sanctioned a state-of-the-art bus stand in Bannimantap, Mysuru, at a cost of Rs 120 crore. Spread over 14 acres, the facility will include a divisional office, bus units, and commercial shops.
Approval was also granted to utilize Rs 137.85 crore, provided by the Union Finance Ministry under the Special Capital Assistance Scheme, for capital expenditure.
The Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board will use Rs 56.92 crore from its SCP/TSP scheme to supply bed sheets, mosquito nets, and clothing to government residential schools and hostels.
The Cabinet approved Rs 100 crore to construct new buildings for 200 veterinary institutions currently housed in rented or dilapidated structures, using NABARD assistance.
In Davangere, a site was allotted to the Karnataka Working Journalists' Association for constructing a civic facility. A plot in Avaragere village was also leased for 30 years at a concessional rate to Nayaka Vidyarthi Nilaya.
