Hassan, Sep 6 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday inaugurated the first phase of Rs 23,000 crore Yettinahole Comprehensive Drinking Water Supply Project at the Bykere Doddanagara Pump House in Karnataka's Hassan district.

After the inauguration, the chief minister said that the second phase of the project will be completed by 2027, ensuring drinking water supply to lakhs of homes across seven districts.

As many as 75.59 lac people in 38 towns and 6,657 villages will benefit from this project while 527 tanks in the seven districts will be filled with 9.953 TMC of water.

"Yettinahole is a two-phase project. The first phase has been inaugurated. The second phase will be completed by 2027, and the entire project will be successfully implemented. This project will benefit lakhs of people. Drinking water will reach the homes of people in seven districts, and several lakes will be filled," he said.

"The foundation stone for Ettinahole was laid during my tenure. I inaugurated the first phase of the project, and I will inaugurate the second phase as well. We will complete the project and ensure the drinking water supply. We will fill the lakes; this is a guarantee," he promised.

Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister D. K. Shivakumar, along with Ministers Rajanna, M. B. Patil, G. Parameshwara, K.J. George, and MLAs and elected representatives from five taluks, as well as senior departmental officials, were present on the occasion.

Siddaramaiah laid the foundation stone for the project on March 5, 2014.

The project was delayed due to technical glitches.

"The project is 252.87 km long, of which 164 km of work has been completed. Work on the 25.87 km canal is in progress. The works after 42nd km were affected due to forest land acquisition and hence it has been planned to supply water to Vani Vilas Sagar through an escape canal," Shivakumar, who also holds the portfolio of Irrigation Ministry, had said.