A kilometer long ride in an open jeep at a speed of 75 kmph through a tunnel into a rock which takes you to the middle of a power house built inside it — the Varahi underground power house. Purring away at high speeds are four units of power generators which can produce enough electricity to supply more than half of Bangalore every day.
The power house - built in 1989, is housed in the middle of a rock.
A cave, 20 meters in width, 30 meters in height and about 155 meters long houses the generating units.
The units, which operate at about 78 meters below the mean sea level, are truly a sight to see. The state began building its first underground power station as early as 1978 and it was finally commissioned to its full capacity more than two decades later.
A visit to the interior of the cave is definitely a marvelous experience.
However, if you wish to go there on a trip to satiate your curiosity, it would have to wait. The wait could be as long as three months due to the restrictions in place in view of the present security situation. Do not despair, place has a lot more to offer to the traveler than just the power house.
The Varahi river is dotted with tourist spots and destinations along its course. The water for power house comes from Varahi dam which is constructed across the river at Agumbe, Shimoga, Karnataka. The Varahi river, which takes its birth at a height of 730 meters in the Western Ghats at Hebbagilu, near Agumbe in Shimoga district joins the Arabian Sea near Kundapur. After a 25 Km initial run, this swift and powerful river falls 455 meters in cascades to form the Kunchikal falls.
If access to the power house is denied, Kunchikal falls (which is close by) is your best bet. The Kunchikal falls are the highest waterfalls in India and the second highest waterfalls in Asia. So it surely deserves a trip.
Getting there Agumbe is near Thirthahalli on National Highway NH-13. You can reach Agumbe from Bangalore by taking NH-4 till Tumkur, then NH- 206 till Shimoga and then NH-13 to Thirthahalli (about 380 km). The nearest railway station is Udupi on Konkan Railway and Mangalore is the nearest airport.