Congress shifts stance: To integrate Kaleshwaram’s Sundilla barrage into Pranahita-Chevella project

The Telangana Congress government has decided to integrate the Sundilla barrage from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project with Pranahita-Chevella. The hybrid model aims to reuse existing infrastructure, cut costs, reduce energy use, and accelerate irrigation benefits for multiple districts

Hyderabad: After a two-year-long hostile campaign discrediting the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), the Congress government has now shifted its stance and decided to rely on the Sundilla barrage, a critical component of KLIP, to fast-track the implementation of the Pranahita-Chevella project in a hybrid mode. It is set to realign its irrigation initiative, the Pranahita-Chevella project, with key infrastructure of the Kaleshwaram scheme.

The Sundilla barrage has now emerged as indispensable infrastructure, whether upstream or downstream of the Yellampalli reservoir. This move is driven by both technical and economic considerations. The government has realised the inevitability of depending on the Sundilla barrage, the operation of which was suspended for four consecutive crop seasons on the grounds of structural issues.

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Originally planned during the previous Congress regime before the formation of Telangana, the Pranahita-Chevella project envisaged diverting Godavari river waters through a 152-foot-high barrage at Tummidihatti village in Adilabad district to irrigate up to 16.40 lakh acres across five districts. Due to constraints in water availability, the project was subsequently re-engineered by the KCR-led BRS government in favour of the more ambitious Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

The KLIP included multiple barrages, such as Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla, designed to lift Godavari water to upland regions. Against this backdrop, the Congress government has now accelerated the preparation of a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Pranahita-Chevella, prioritising the construction of the barrage at Tummidihatti, citing both cost-effectiveness and technical feasibility.

Technical surveys have indicated that a major portion of the original canal network, around 71 km downstream of Tummidihatti, remains intact and can be reused with some rehabilitation work. Engineers have stated that water from Tummidihatti can flow entirely by gravity to the Sundilla barrage without the need for energy-intensive lifting. Officials further claim that drawing water from Pranahita to Sundilla would simplify operations and substantially reduce power consumption.

This gravity-fed water flow alternative stands in contrast to the original design of the Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi, which required a costly lift canal from Mylaram village to the Yellampalli reservoir. Two options were examined for drawing water to Yellampalli—lifting water from Mylaram to the Yellampalli reservoir, or diverting it directly to the Sundilla barrage by gravity flow. The latter option is now being favoured due to its technical simplicity and lower costs. From Sundilla, the existing Kaleshwaram lift infrastructure can be utilised to pump water further towards the Yellampalli project and beyond.

The revival plan also involves discussions with the Maharashtra government to secure its final approval, since the proposed barrage site at Tummidihatti lies close to the interstate border. Maharashtra’s consent will be essential for water-sharing arrangements and smooth implementation of the project.

The Congress government’s top leadership is yet to publicly acknowledge the decision to integrate the Pranahita-Chevella project with critical components of KLIP. However, the move to redesign and implement this hybrid model is expected to come up for discussion at the forthcoming Cabinet meeting.