BHUBANESWAR : Nearly a year after the Odisha government announced its river-linking programme, six projects with a combined estimated cost of about Rs 1,790 crore are at various stages of survey, feasibility assessment and detailed project report (DPR) preparation.
The programme, announced on November 11, 2025, aims to transfer surplus water between river basins and reservoirs for irrigation, drinking water supply and flood management. One of the projects is also linked to pumped-storage hydropower development.
The largest project is the Nandini Nala-Harabhanga reservoir link in Gajapati district, estimated at Rs 720 crore. It proposes a structure on Nandini Nala near Rindipanga village in Mohana block to transfer 46.62 million cubic metres (MCM) of water to the Harabhanga reservoir.
The project is expected to support irrigation over 6,825 hectare and provide 7.63 MCM water to Berhampur city. The preliminary feasibility report has been completed and DPR preparation is underway, said a report of the Water Resources department.
In Mayurbhanj, the Rs 170 crore Kansapal Integrated Storage Structure link proposes diverting surplus water from the Katra river to the Subarnarekha main canal and the Haldia and Jambhira reservoirs. Surveys of alternative feeder-channel alignments have been completed while the DPR has received approval from the state technical advisory committee.
The Rs 190 crore Hiradharabati flood channel in Ganjam envisages diverting excess floodwater from the Hiradharabati barrage near Mahachara village through a channel to recharge around 29 reservoirs before draining into Chilika. Its feasibility study is underway.
Another `300 crore Tampara linking project proposes connecting the Bahuda-Rushikulya basin system with the Keluapalli/Tampara reservoir near Berhampur. It is aimed at augmenting water availability for Berhampur and the Gopalpur Special Economic Zone. Feasibility assessment is in progress.
In Western Odisha, the Rs 400 crore Ang-Suktel Garland Canal project comprises three proposed canal links involving the Ang reservoir, Lower Suktel reservoir, Sonagarh river, Lower Lanth and Bankel bund. The network is expected to revive 168 reservoirs and stabilise irrigation over about 23,000 hectare.
The sixth project is the Rs 10 crore Telengiri-Kolab link in Koraput. It proposes connecting the Telengiri and Upper Kolab reservoirs, with the DPR to be prepared by Odisha Hydro Power Corporation. The project is also linked to pumped-storage hydropower development.
The Water Resources department had made a provision of `100 crore for 2025-26, while Rs 325 crore has been allocated in the current fiscal for these projects.