The Yettinahole Project, aimed at addressing water shortages in drought-affected regions, will see the inauguration of its first phase during the upcoming Gowri-Ganesha festival. However, the complete project, initially expected to finish earlier, is now projected for completion by March 31, 2027, with delays due to forest and land acquisition issues. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar outlined key milestones, including the release of 85.00 cumecs of water up to the 100 km mark of the Gravity Canal by March 31, 2025, and the commencement of construction on the Lakkenahalli balancing reservoir. By November 1, 2025, water is expected to be released up to 261.69 km of the Gravity Canal, with 50% of the reservoir completed. The entire project, including water supply to Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and Bengaluru Rural districts, is set to be finalised by November 1, 2026. The project aims to lift 24.01 TMC of water from Yettinahole and surrounding areas in the Western Ghats to alleviate water shortages in Chikkaballapur, Kolar, and other districts, benefiting 75.59 lakh people across 29 taluks. Despite some progress, including the completion of Stage-1 lift and power supply works and 164.47 km of the 252.61 km Gravity Canal, delays have persisted due to land acquisition challenges. As of July 2024, the project has achieved financial progress of Rs 161.52 billion, with plans to continue efforts toward the 2027 completion goal. (banagaloremirror)