Kerala Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph has set a target to complete and commission the Bhoothathankettu hydropower project within one year, ending a delay of nearly a decade and allowing work on the stalled scheme to resume after a legal dispute with its contractor.
The minister announced the plan after visiting the project site near Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district and the nearby Idamalayar dam. He said the government would intervene seriously to accelerate the remaining work at a time when increasing electricity generation has become an important priority for the state.
According to the minister, the Kerala High Court has ruled in favour of the Kerala State Electricity Board in the legal dispute involving the contractor. The contractor subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was not admitted for consideration, he said.
With the legal situation having moved in the board’s favour, the remaining construction work will be taken up through a fresh tender. The project is now expected to restart after the tendering process, with the government targeting operational readiness within one year. The minister did not provide a revised project cost, generation capacity or a specific commissioning date in the statement reported by Madhyamam.
The Bhoothathankettu project has remained incomplete for about ten years. Its prolonged suspension has left the state with an unfinished power asset and delayed the intended use of the infrastructure created for the scheme. The latest announcement places the focus on resolving the outstanding works through a new procurement process rather than continuing the earlier contract arrangement.
The minister’s visit followed sustained interventions by Shibu Thekkumpuram, the MLA, including in the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Officials accompanying the minister reviewed the project’s current status, the works required for completion and the next administrative steps. Dean Kuriakose, the MP, directors of the Kerala State Electricity Board, chief engineers and other senior officials were also present.
The visit also covered the Idamalayar dam, where the minister identified potential for tourism around the reservoir and adjoining areas. He said the government would seriously examine opening the dam and nearby locations to visitors during festival periods, subject to dam safety requirements and other technical considerations.
Joseph also said the authorities would examine ways to make fuller use of the dam’s storage capacity, store more water and use available water resources more effectively. These proposals are separate from the one-year completion target for the Bhoothankettu hydropower project and will require consideration of safety, technical feasibility and water availability.
The immediate next step for the hydropower project is the issue of a fresh tender for the remaining works. The government’s stated milestone is to restart construction and bring the project into operation within one year.
