Friday, May 17, 2019

Hulikere Tunnel in Mandya Karnataka Visvesvaraya Canal from KRS Dam to Visvesvaraya Buga

Hulikere Tunnel in Mandya is Asia's first underground irrigation water tunnel, nearing 100 years.There were just railway underground pathways at the most but not an underground irrigation tunnel . 
Tunnel Hulikere- 2Km tunnel built uanderneath Hulikere village


Hulikere Tunnel exit

Tunnel Hulikere is the Life line of Mandya farmers

Hulikere tunnel may be the longest under ground kaveri tunnel / cauvery tunnel .


KRS Water release time water filled Hulikere Tunnel entrance

Hulikere tunnel is known by other names too such as hulikere buga and Vishveshvaraiah Buga. The water from KRS dam flows into hulikere tunnel, the main channel of Krishna Raja Sagara Dam. Hulikere tunnel is a lesser known underground water irrigation tunnel in Karnataka Southern part of  India.


Hulikerre Tunnel entrance before water release from KRS Dam

Hulikere Tunnel is  2.8 km long tunnel is 3.75 m wide and has a 4.5 m deep arch and was constructed from June 1928 to October 1931 when the Visveswaraya canal was laid to irrigate fields in Mandya region .


Hulikere tunnel Exit, notice the light at the end of the tunnel

Hulikere tunnel was constructed under the governance of KrishnaRaja Wodeyar IV by Sir M Vishweshwarayya and Diwan Sir Mirza Ismail. 



Inside view of Hulikere tunnel before water relese from KRS Dam


The modernisation work of Hulikere tunnel was taken up in the late 1990s . 
Hulikere tunnel at Mandya  is part of Visvesvaraya canal from KRS Dam Cauvery river .
The Hulikere tunnel provides irrigation facilities to 2,00,600 acres of land in Mandya.


Inside view near the entrance side of Hulikere tunnel

The overall cost of the tunnel was a lump sum of 4,56,000 rupees, a big sum back in 1920's.
The Hulikere Tunnel is one of the engineering marvel of Sir. M. Visvesvaraya.



 Exploring Hulikere tunnel

The hulikere Tunnel is in use till date. If one plans to enter to tunnel, then it's better to  check with locals about KRS water releasing day , as the water when released rises quickly taking every thing along its way.

                                                                 Water flowing till the brim of the tunnel

Cauvery water when released flows out in full force and  covers the full tunnel height of 20 feet within in few minutes .




Hulikere Tunnel view from above the ground


The tunnel was built after the construction of KRS dam as, the dam construction cut out water supply to hulikere village. The Hulikere Tunnel through the years has ensured irrigation water for agriculture to Hulikere, Kalenahalli and surrounding villages.



Hulikere tunnel exit side stairs


The tunnel is part of the Vishveshwarya canal under the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL). Hulikere tunnel carries Kaveri water .

The surface area along the length of the tunnel is not visible as it is fully covered with houses, lush green fields, shops and roads.




Green fields cultivated above the tunnel area

 Hulikere is a village in Srirangapatana Taluk in Mandya District of Karnataka State, India. It belongs to Mysore Division. It is located 16 KM from Mandya, 20 KM from Shrirangapattana. 116 KM from Bangalore .


Inside view of Hulikere Tunnel


Hulikere can be reached by rail or road .The nearest Railway stations are Byadarahalli Railway Station , Yeliyur Railway Station are the very nearby railway stations to Hulikere. Chamarajapuram Railway Station (near to Mysore), Shrirangapatna Railway Station (near to Shrirangapattana), Pandavapura Railway Station (near to Shrirangapattana), Mysore Junction Railway Station (near to Mysore) are the Rail way stations reachable from nearby towns. By Road Hulikere can be reached via Srirangapatana, Mysore, Mandya, Bannur are the nearby by towns to Hulikere having road connectivity to Hulikere.

Hulikere tunnel got its share of limelight in a recent Kannada hit Movie Rathaavara, fight scene , shooting done within the tunnel, staring Sriimurali. Mysore tourism gets a new boast with new locations as such being used by Kannada film industry (Sandalwood).

( Rathavara kannada movie fight scene shot here )


Sriimurali 's  Kannada Movie Rathavara Fight scene Shooting at Hulikere tunnel

Mandya tourism can be developed by creating awareness about such historic engineering Marvels, providing of sign boards and sharing knowledge of these kind of unknown places. Hulikere tunnel is a pride not only for Mandya, Karnataka but for entire India. Mandya tourism and Karnataka tourism has many such marvels .



 Hulikere tunnel / hulikere buga / Vishveshvaraiah Buga  exclusive video.


Google map location: https://goo.gl/maps/ptNXUV9nK4XK95GS8

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