Bengaluru: Bengaluru residents can now expect relief from water shortages as Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the 5th stage of the Cauvery Drinking Water Project. This ambitious projects aims to supply water to 110 villages within the city’s municipal limits, benefiting 50 lakh people.
"This project is personal to me," CM Siddaramaiah said. "I laid the foundation stone, and today I'm inaugurating it. This is proof that we stand by our word," the Chief Minister added.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, speaking at the event, highlighted the project's significance: "Almost one-third of Bengaluru will now get water without any major disruptions for the next 10 years. We have spent close to Rs 5,000 crore on this phase, and I am pleased to keep my promises to the people."
The Deputy CM also announced that the 5th stage was launched at Torekadanahalli in Malavalli taluk, ensuring water supply across areas managed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Planning for the Future: 6th Stage Already Underway
To meet Bengaluru’s rapidly increasing demand, Siddaramaiah confirmed that work on the sixth stage of the Cauvery project has already begun. "Our actions reflect our promises — we don't mislead the public for votes," the Chief Minister said, reiterating his government’s focus on sustainable planning.
The fifth stage is part of a partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and is one of India's largest water projects. A central feature of the project is the advanced water treatment plant, which can purify 775 million liters of water daily. This facility also incorporates flood-control systems to maintain uninterrupted water delivery.
The project is seen as an engineering marvel in water infrastructure and is an impressive engineering feat, with the key highlights as - three high-powered booster stations at TK Halli, Harohalli, and Tataguni, capable of pumping water to heights equivalent to a 50-story building (450 meters), 110 kilometers of steel pipelines ranging in diameter from 500mm to 2200mm, transporting treated water across the city, 1.45 lakh metric tonnes of steel and 2.4 crore man-hours invested in construction.
On the occasion, CM Siddaramaiah and DCM Shivakumar planted a sapling on the project premises.
During the event, the Chief Minister slammed the previous governments led by BJP and JD(S) for delaying the project due to lack of funding and political will.
"The project stalled during their tenure, but after coming to power, we ensured its timely completion,” he remarked. The inauguration was chaired by MLA Narendraswamy and attended by ministers like District-in-Charge Minister S. Chaluvarayaswamy, Energy Minister K.J. George, and several other dignitaries, MLAs, and MLCs.
CM Siddaramaiah also pledged to tackle Bengaluru’s infrastructure challenges as the city continues to grow. "We are committed to ensuring that Bengaluru’s needs are met, not just today but in the future as well," he said.
The 6th stage of the project is expected to add 500 million liters per day (MLD) of water supply, ensuring that the city is well-prepared for its future needs. "We've made this announcement, and we will deliver," the Chief Minister concluded.
