Published Jul 28, 2026 | 12:20 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 28, 2026 | 12:20 PM
The project is expected to provide 4 TMC of drinking water to Bengaluru city and generate 400 MW of hydropower.
Synopsis: Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary told the Rajya Sabha that the Supreme Court’s 2018 Cauvery verdict does not mandate that Karnataka obtain the approval of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, or Puducherry for new construction across the river.
Karnataka does not require the consent of Tamil Nadu or other lower-riparian states to implement the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the Cauvery river, the Centre told the Rajya Sabha.
Replying to a question, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary said on Monday, 27 July, that the Supreme Court’s 2018 Cauvery verdict does not mandate that Karnataka obtain the approval of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, or Puducherry for new construction across the river.
He, however, said the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) must comply with the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and Central Water Commission guidelines before it is considered further.
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Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar welcomed Choudhary’s statement, saying it reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s verdict and strengthened the state’s case for the long-pending project.
The proposed 67 tmcft balancing reservoir at Mekedatu, around 100 km from Bengaluru, is intended to augment Bengaluru’s drinking water supply and regulate Cauvery water releases, while Tamil Nadu continues to oppose the project, citing concerns about its water share.
Mekedatu is a multi-purpose (drinking water and power) project proposed by Karnataka, which involves building a balancing reservoir near Kanakapura in Ramanagara district (now renamed as Bengaluru South district).
The project, once completed, is aimed at ensuring drinking water supply to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas; it can also generate 400 MW of power, and the estimated cost of the project is ₹9,000 crore (at 2019 rates), according to Karnataka officials.
Tamil Nadu has been opposing Karnataka’s plan, saying that no new project can be undertaken in the Cauvery basin without the consent of all basin states.
