Barrages to operate after NDSA, CWC clearance: Uttam

“The issue is not political but one of engineering and public safety. Public safety remains the government's top priority.”

- N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Irrigation Minister, Telangana 

Testing nearing completion

The Minister said testing is nearing completion and rehabilitation designs will be finalised during the ongoing monsoon. Construction is expected to begin after floodwaters recede, with the government targeting completion of rehabilitation works by July-August 2027. Until then, all three barrages will remain in free-flow condition.

metro india news  I hyderabad

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday alleged that the foundations of all three barrages under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIS) remain structurally unsafe and cannot be operated until comprehensive scientific rehabilitation is completed. He accused the previous BRS government of ignoring engineering principles for political gains and rejected what he described as a misinformation campaign over the project's safety.

Addressing a media conference at the State Secretariat, Uttam Kumar Reddy said claims that the Kannepalli pump house at Medigadda (Lakshmi Barrage) could immediately be switched on were misleading. He said the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has clearly prohibited the operation of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages until rehabilitation is completed and their safety is certified.

The Minister said the issue was not political but one of engineering and public safety. According to the final NDSA report, the foundations of all three barrages are under serious structural suspicion due to compromised secant pile cut-off walls, seepage beneath the foundations, inadequate stilling basins, poor energy dissipation systems, lack of water-tightness and construction defects.

He said Medigadda's Block-7 experienced severe settlement after voids developed beneath its raft foundation because of piping, while similar distress patterns were detected at Annaram and Sundilla. Operating the barrages without repairs, he warned, could pose serious risks to downstream areas, including Bhadrachalam.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said the State Government has initiated an extensive scientific investigation involving Ground Penetrating Radar surveys, nearly 100 deep boreholes, laboratory testing, permeability studies, hydraulic modelling, Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis and digital twin simulations. The studies are being carried out by CWPRS Pune, Afry in association with IIT Bombay, under the supervision of the NDSA and the Central Water Commission. Preliminary findings indicate that continuous diaphragm walls and major strengthening of stilling basins may be required across all three barrages.

Criticising the previous BRS government, Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed the original Congress-designed Pranahita-Chevella project would have supplied nearly 80 TMC of dependable gravity water to North Telangana, even during weak monsoons and possible El Niño conditions. He alleged that political and commercial considerations led to changes in the project, resulting in technical compromises and massive cost escalation.

Referring to the Judicial Commission's findings, the Minister alleged that the project proceeded without initial Cabinet approval or a Detailed Project Report and that contracts were awarded before approvals were completed. He said the State Government has sought a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities.

He also said Telangana is pursuing a long-term alternative by preparing a Detailed Project Report to bring nearly 80 TMC of water from Tummidihatti through gravity while discussions with Maharashtra are planned for the proposed barrage. Reiterating that public safety remains the government's top priority, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the three barrages would be operated only after scientific rehabilitation and mandatory clearances from the NDSA and the Central Water Commission.

KTR demands Kannepalli pumps activation

BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao on Sunday demanded that the Congress government immediately resume operations at the Kannepalli Pump House and lift water from the Godavari River, warning that Telangana could face a severe drought if timely action is not taken.

Addressing the media after inspecting the Kannepalli Pump House at Kannepalli in Manthani, KTR said the State was facing the combined threat of El Niño conditions, deficient rainfall and what he described as the government's inaction. He urged the government to immediately utilise the existing Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project infrastructure to prevent a worsening water crisis.

KTR claimed that 26 of Telangana's 33 districts were already experiencing drought-like conditions. Despite this, he alleged that lakhs of cusecs of Godavari water were flowing into the sea every day because the government had failed to operate the available pumping infrastructure. He said immediate lifting of water and filling of reservoirs was essential to safeguard irrigation needs and ensure drinking water supply across the State.

He alleged that instead of taking preventive measures to protect agriculture, the government was allowing valuable river water to go waste while farmers faced uncertainty. He further alleged that the government was deliberately delaying the operation of the Kannepalli pumps to avoid the financial burden associated with a successful agricultural season. According to KTR, higher crop production would require the government to spend more on procurement, fertiliser supply and bonus payments to farmers, and this was one of the reasons for withholding water.

Referring to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, KTR rejected allegations of corruption surrounding the project and maintained that it remained fully capable of supplying irrigation water if operated efficiently. KTR also criticised the police for allegedly obstructing the BRS delegation during its journey from Hyderabad to Kannepalli. He said what should have been a four-hour journey stretched to nearly seven hours due to repeated barricades, restrictions and interruptions at multiple locations.

He warned that Hyderabad could also face drinking water shortages if the government failed to act immediately and accused the ruling Congress of politicising irrigation issues instead of addressing the State's water needs.

Issuing a warning to the government, KTR announced that the BRS would intensify its agitation if water lifting from the Kannepalli pumps was not started immediately. He said the party would mobilise between 50,000 and 60,000 people to lay siege to the Kannepalli Pump House if the government continued to ignore the interests of Telangana's farmers and failed to utilise the available Godavari waters. KTR asserted that the government should "switch on the Bahubali pumps" and provide water to farmers without further delay, adding that the BRS would ensure the pumps were made operational through a mass protest if necessary.