Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have reached a historic consensus to safeguard the interests of farmers dependent on the Tungabhadra river basin, as the newly replaced 33 spillway gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir were formally inaugurated at Hosapete in Vijayanagara district on June 25, 2026. The inauguration was attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil. Mr. Shivakumar said the three States had held extensive discussions on issues concerning the reservoir and the larger interests of farmers in the command area, including the proposed Navali balancing reservoir and the need to remove accumulated silt from the reservoir to improve water conservation and storage.
The Chief Minister recalled last year’s crisis at the reservoir, where the washout of Crest Gate No. 19 had triggered widespread concern over the safety of the ageing gate system and the availability of irrigation water in the command area. He said the government had moved swiftly to protect the dam and save water for farmers, and that the successful replacement of the damaged gate and the subsequent decision to replace all the 33 gates had helped reassure farmers in the region. The event was also attended by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and Karnataka Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil.
Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil stated that the final decisions taken at the meeting would be formally announced, and that the Union Government would roll out a major desilting plan for dams across India. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy described the new Tungabhadra gates as a solution to decades-old distress in the basin, while Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the need for inter-State cooperation in addressing common water concerns.