Was any technical study done on dam safety before approving a Disneyland-type amusement park project near KRS? asks Karnataka High Court

A view of the High Court of Karnataka building.
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The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the State government to inform by way of an affidavit whether any technical assessment was done on dam safety before approving the proposed Disneyland-type amusement park project near the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) in Mandya district at an estimated cost of ₹2,663 crore under the public-private partnership.

The court also asked the government to give similar information on the proposed construction of infrastructure facilities and civil works to accommodate around 20,000 to 25,000 people in an open theatre and parking place to witness the proposed programme of Cauvery Aarti near the KRS, similar to Ganga Aarti conducted on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh.

A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi issued the direction during the hearing on two PIL petitions, filed by K. Boraiah and four other agriculturists from Krishnaraja Sagar in Srirangapatna taluk, and Sunanda Jayaram, an agriculturist from Gejjalagere in Mandya taluk.

While Mr. Boraiah and others have questioned the tender issued on May 13, 2025, inviting proposals from private entities to develop the Disneyland-type project and to maintain it for 30 years, Ms. Jayaram has questioned the May 3, 2025, in-principal approval given by the Water Resources Department to Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited (CNNL), which is implementing the project, to utilise around ₹92 crore for creating permanent infrastructure for Cauvery Aarati.

It has been pointed out in the petitions that safety of the KRS has been ignored by the authorities while proposing these projects while pointing out that the High Court, in response to separate petitions, in January 2024 banned all types of mining and quarrying activities within a 20-km radius of the dam till the completion of a study by experts and the decision to be taken by the committee on dam safety, set up as per the provisions of the Dam Safety Act, 2021.

The Bench directed both the government and the CNNL to file affidavit on conduct of any technical assessment of works related to proposed projects near the dam after the State Advocate-General, though assured the court that safety of the dam has been kept in mind while approving the projects and that apprehensions of the petitioners are unfounded, sought time to answer the specific query of the court on whether prior technical assessments were carried out in this regard.

Earlier, the government pointed out to the court that the tender for the amusement park project is not yet complete, but that for installing a statue of the Cauvery is complete but work order is yet to be issued.

Government documents produced before the court had a reference to an old technical assessment report with regard to the impact of installing the statue and not other construction works.

Published – June 27, 2025 10:50 pm IST

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