Land hurdles slow Karnataka’s clean power highway.

Green Energy Corridor Phase II Delayed; Karnataka Seeks Deadline Extension.

Karnataka’s efforts to strengthen its renewable energy transmission network have run into delays, prompting the state to seek an extension for completing Phase II of the Green Energy Corridor project. The state government has requested that the deadline be pushed from March 31 to July 31 next year, citing major hurdles in land acquisition and right-of-way clearances. The project, sanctioned by the Centre to support renewable-rich states, is being executed by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. Although about 50 per cent of the work has been completed, progress has slowed due to difficulties in securing land for transmission lines and substations. Launched in 2022, Phase II involves building 938 circuit km of transmission lines and substations with a capacity of 1,225 MVA to evacuate nearly 2,640 MW of renewable energy. In a letter to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, additional chief secretary (energy) Gaurav Gupta flagged “unforeseeable challenges” affecting timelines. The project cost is estimated at ₹1,036 crore, with a 33 per cent central grant, of which ₹108 crore has been released so far.