The Water Resources Department (WRD) has prepared a revised estimate for the proposed barrage across River Cauvery between Marudhur in Karur district and Umayalpuram in Tiruchi district.
The project is now estimated to require an investment of ₹1,023.75 crore. It was originally mooted over 10 years ago, and WRD had announced in its policy note tabled in the Assembly in 2021 that it would be executed at an estimated cost of about ₹750 crore, as per a detailed project report prepared then.
However, in 2023, the government had deferred the project citing financial constraints. Subsequently, the Plan Formulation Division of WRD had said steps were being taken to executed the scheme.
“An estimate has been prepared for the project for ₹1,023.75 crore as per the 2025-2026 schedule of rates. The project would be taken up once the government approval is obtained,” R. Geetha, Executive Engineer, Special Projects Division, WRD, Pudukottai, said in reply to a petition from S. Jeyaraman, president, Cauvery Padugai Farmers Federation, and former Director, Centre for Soil and Crop Management Studies, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.
Farmers of the two districts have long been demanding the early execution of the project. The proposed barrage would also serve as road link across the river, bringing in an added benefit. In his representation, Dr. Jeyaraman said the barrage could help store flood discharges in the river during the monsoons.
The WRD had identified the spot at Marudhur-Umaiyalpuram across the Cauvery to build a barrage with a two-lane road and with shutters facilities to have controlled release of the stored flood water. The location was identified as the Cauvery was at its widest near Kulithalai and could ideally help store the excess flood water and help groundwater recharge in a radius of six to 10 km.
“The construction of barrage with shutters and a two-lane road atop was announced by the AIADMK Government in 2018-19 itself with sanction of ₹25 lakh for detailed project investigation and ₹350 crore for the construction of barrage, while the DMK Government revised the estimate to ₹750 crore. The project needs to be executed as it could store about two to three tmcft of water and contribute to groundwater recharge and ensure drinking water security in the region by harnessing flood discharges, which would otherwise run waste into the sea,” Dr .Jeyaraman said.
It would be useful to release the stored flood water for irrigation canals such as Uyyakondan and Sriramasamudram. It would also help arrest the rapid decline in the groundwater table in the region and be useful for the several drinking water supply schemes, which had their sources on the Cauvery in the region, he said.
He appealed to Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to sanction the project during the current year itself by availing funds from the Centre or National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Published – September 30, 2026 07:45 pm IST
