Fresh DPR to be submitted for Mekedatu project: D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru

Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the government will prepare and submit a fresh Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project in response to recent directions from the Supreme Court.

Addressing reporters after a review meeting with senior officials and the Board of Directors of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam, Shivakumar said the revised DPR will include comprehensive information on the extent of forest land likely to be submerged due to the project. “We discussed the steps required to take the project forward after the Supreme Court order. A new DPR is essential, and it will clearly detail the forest area affected,” he said.

The Dy.CM confirmed that the project office at Harobele has already begun functioning and added that new offices for the Chief Engineer and the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) would soon be opened in Ramanagara. “All necessary staff will be provided to these offices to expedite the process,” he said.

Responding to questions on whether the revised DPR would require approval from the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), Shivakumar noted that the earlier DPR had been rejected. “We will incorporate the required corrections and submit the new DPR to the authorities mandated by law,” he said.

On the proposed Namma Metro extension to Tumakuru, which has drawn objections from some quarters, Shivakumar said the government is still evaluating the possibilities. “Legislators from the district have approached me. We will examine the feasibility before taking a decision,” he added.