With Kannada groups getting ready for fresh demonstrations over the Cauvery water dispute, Tamil Nadu government halted bus services at Hosur border on Sunday, July 26, as a precautionary step.
Authorities stopped Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses at Hosur bus stand, preventing them from entering Karnataka. Services from Karnataka into Tamil Nadu continued without disruption. Passengers travelling towards Bengaluru had to rely on alternate arrangements, including local buses and autorickshaws to Attibele and onward connections.
Private cars, goods carriers, and commercial vehicles were allowed to cross the border. Traffic on the National Highway remained unaffected, though police checks increased near Hosur. A large police presence was deployed at Hosur–Attibele and other sensitive points to maintain order.
The suspension comes amid renewed tensions over Karnataka’s Mekedatu reservoir proposal. Tamil Nadu has opposed the project, citing concerns over its impact on water allocation under existing legal frameworks. Farmers’ groups in Tamil Nadu have staged protests against the plan, warning of risks to irrigation and drinking water supply.
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AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged the state government to convene an all‑party meeting to frame a united legal and political response. He questioned the utility of bilateral talks, noting Karnataka’s firm stance on water sharing.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to meet his Karnataka counterpart DK Shivakumar for talks on the long-running Cauvery River water-sharing dispute even as Cauvery Water Regulation Committee prepares to meet on July 28. The committee’s decisions may have major implications for farmers, water management authorities and states dependent on the Cauvery basin.
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The dispute echoes earlier attempts at dialogue, including a 2012 meeting between then Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and her Karnataka counterpart at the time, Jagadish Shettar, which ended without agreement.
Tamil Nadu recently raised the issue before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), pointing to reduced inflows into the Mettur reservoir. Current releases from Mettur stand at 1,000 cusecs to meet drinking water needs. The state has asked the CWMA to direct Karnataka to compensate for the shortfall and ensure future releases in line with Supreme Court of India’s 2018 judgment.
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As of now, Karnataka’s four major Cauvery basin reservoirs hold about 49 tmcft of live storage, with cumulative inflows of nearly 32 tmcft, significantly below the 30‑year average of 82 tmcft. 
