Bengaluru Officials Push Mahadayi Dam Project Amid Inter-State Tensions
Karnataka officials have reignited efforts to resume the long-delayed Kalasa-Banduri dam project, a lifeline initiative that aims to provide drinking water to parched districts in the state’s north-western corridor. The move, which includes withdrawing a legal petition and reinitiating dam construction, has sparked fresh tensions with Goa, whose administration has consistently opposed the diversion of Mahadayi river waters. Karnataka maintains that it is acting on a 2018 water tribunal verdict, but concerns over environmental clearance and inter-state coordination continue to cloud the project’s path.
The Kalasa-Banduri project involves building two dams across the Mahadayi’s tributaries and a canal linking them to the Malaprabha reservoir, supplying water to over 40 lakh residents in Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Bagalkot, and surrounding areas. The project was first launched nearly two decades ago but stalled after legal interventions by neighbouring Goa, which cited ecological risks. Despite this, tenders have now been floated in Karnataka, indicating a revival of political will and a renewed push for regional water security under the guise of developmental urgency. Officials argue that the project is critical to ensure equitable access to water resources across drought-prone areas in Karnataka. They have criticised the lack of proactive support from central agencies, claiming that political affiliations should not obstruct infrastructure meant to address basic human needs.
They further accused Goa’s leadership of undermining the principles of cooperative federalism by blocking a project that has passed through judicial and environmental frameworks. Karnataka’s administration insists that any delay now threatens both water equity and public health in the face of erratic monsoons and rising climate stress. On the other hand, resistance from Goa stems from environmental apprehensions and concerns about irreversible ecological damage to the fragile Mahadayi river basin. Environmental experts have often highlighted the need for careful impact assessments before altering the flow of a river that sustains biodiversity across the Western Ghats. The ongoing friction reflects the wider national challenge of reconciling ecological preservation with state-level demands for development and essential infrastructure. Critics warn that pushing forward without consensus could deepen inter-state rifts and set a dangerous precedent for river-sharing disputes.
As Karnataka intensifies its efforts, officials are forming a delegation to engage central ministries and renew appeals for support, aiming to resolve the impasse through a mix of political dialogue and legal recourse. The renewed focus on the Kalasa-Banduri project signals both administrative urgency and the underlying vulnerability of cities dependent on outdated or incomplete water infrastructure. Going forward, a balanced solution will require stronger environmental accountability, transparent water-sharing frameworks, and greater sensitivity to the ecological and social stakes on both sides of the border.
