Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday, 31 October declared that the long-contested Mekedatu balancing reservoir project on the River Cauvery is entering a decisive phase, with the state government actively working to resolve outstanding forest and land acquisition hurdles. The announcement was made during an address to media persons in Bengaluru.

What the Mekedatu Project Entails

The Mekedatu project proposes the construction of a balancing reservoir near the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu border on the River Cauvery, with a storage capacity of 66 TMC (thousand million cubic feet). The reservoir is designed to supply drinking water to Bengaluru and surrounding areas while also generating hydropower. The project has been in the pipeline for years, repeatedly stalled by inter-state disputes and pending regulatory clearances.

Key Developments on the Ground

Shivakumar stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Mandya has been appointed as the chairman of a dedicated committee tasked with identifying forest land and allocating parallel land for the project. 'We have already identified 2,500 acres of land and are in the process of identifying the remaining land,' he said. He added that approximately 500 acres of farmers' land would be required, and that the land acquisition process would commence shortly.

The Chief Minister also noted that an affidavit concerning the allocation of parallel land is being filed before the court. 'After this, the court will have to give its consent. The remaining work related to the project will then be continued,' he said.

Shivakumar's Case for the Project

Shivakumar argued that the Mekedatu reservoir would give Karnataka a critical buffer during water-stress periods. 'We have a prescribed obligation to release about 177 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu every year. The project will enable us to store about 66 TMC of water, which will benefit the people of Mandya and farmers dependent on the Hemavathi, Kabini, and Harangi reservoirs,' he said. He credited his earlier intervention — filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court — with securing the apex court's in-principle consent for the project.

Notably, Shivakumar also reached out across party lines, saying: 'I have already met Union Ministers, and I request BJP leaders to work together with us.'

Tamil Nadu's Continued Opposition

The project has consistently faced pushback from Tamil Nadu, which contends that the reservoir could compromise its rightful share of Cauvery waters and potentially contravene the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award and Supreme Court directions. Tamil Nadu has maintained that Karnataka cannot proceed with construction without its explicit consent — a position that has kept the project in legal and political limbo for years. This inter-state tension over the Cauvery is a decades-old fault line, and the Mekedatu dispute is its latest flashpoint.

What Comes Next

With the forest land matter still pending before the court and the state filing a fresh affidavit on parallel land allocation, judicial clearance remains the next critical milestone. Industry observers and farmer groups in Mandya are watching closely, given the project's potential to reshape water security for Bengaluru's growing population and agricultural communities across the Cauvery basin. The Centre's role — and whether cross-party cooperation materialises — will be equally consequential in the months ahead.