Kaleshwaram’s Bahubali pumps: Maintenance lapses raise alarm over long-term sustainability

The massive pumps powering Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project remained idle for three crop seasons, raising concerns over maintenance lapses. Officials claimed restoration was underway, but delayed repairs and sidelined engineers sparked fears about the long-term sustainability of the project

Hyderabad: Once hailed as the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation scheme, the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is facing serious concerns over the maintenance and upkeep of its 104 high-capacity pumping units spread across 19 pump houses. These units, vital to lifting 2 TMC of Godavari water daily, had remained idle for three consecutive crop seasons, raising alarms over long-term sustainability and fears of irreversible damage.

Designed with an installed pumping capacity of 5,159 MW, the project relied on massive pumps manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), with key components sourced from global engineering firms such as Andritz and ABB. These pumps, with capacities ranging from 27 MW to 139 MW, were built to lift water to heights of up to 618 metres, considered engineering marvels at the time.

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However, maintenance of these machines had grown inconsistent in recent years, according to sources familiar with the project’s internal workings.

In July 2022, unprecedented floods inundated major pump houses at Medigadda and Annaram, submerging several motors and halting operations. It took nearly eight months to restore the infrastructure, with most of the 17 motors at the Kannepalli (Medigadda) pump house becoming operational only by July 2023.

By July 2024, irrigation officials claimed that all 35 pumping units at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla were ready for operation. Engineers had planned to resume pumping once natural Godavari flows reached 30,000 to 35,000 cusecs. A temporary cofferdam was also proposed for construction by October 2024 to support these efforts. However, intervention by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) led to the shelving of those plans, sidelining the State engineering team.

Meanwhile, farmers in the region had been voicing concerns about irregular maintenance schedules and delays in repairs, warning that the prolonged non-functioning of the pumps could compromise the project’s effectiveness.

“The pumps are not just machines; they’re the lifeline of the project. If they are neglected any further, they will be beyond the scope of repair,” said a young engineer who had been associated with the project since its inception.

Despite the criticism, irrigation officials maintained that restoration work was underway and efforts were being made to fully revive KLIP and its pumping infrastructure.