Medigadda Barrage collapse: Sabotage or structural failure? A deep dive into the controversy

The collapse of two piers at Medigadda Barrage in October 2023 continues to spark debate. While official panels blame design flaws, BRS leaders and activists allege sabotage. With explosion sounds reported and questions unanswered, demands grow for a fresh, impartial probe

By V Prakash Rao

The Medigadda Barrage, a key part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, has become the centre of a major controversy after the collapse of piers 19 and 20 in Block 7 on October 21, 2023. The incident, which took place around 6.10 pm under low flood conditions, has raised serious doubts on whether it was a case of natural structural failure or a deliberate act of sabotage.

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As a river water activist and former chairman of the Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation, I believe the available evidence points more towards a planned act than an engineering lapse.

The incident: Unnatural Circumstances

On the evening of October 21, 2023, explosion-like sounds were heard at the barrage site, just before the sudden sinking of two piers by a few inches. At the time, the barrage was carrying a modest flood flow of 14,880 cusecs, with only 8 gates in Block 8 open, releasing 10,103 cusecs downstream. This flow was very low compared to the barrage’s proven capacity of handling up to 8.18 lakh cusecs during the floods of 2022. With only 17 gates closed and very little water stored, how could such damage occur?

The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) alleged that the collapse was the result of a controlled blast, planned to damage the image of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao ahead of the Telangana Assembly elections.

The timing added weight to the suspicions. The Election Commission had announced the election schedule on October 9, 2023, just 12 days before the incident. Why would piers that had withstood bigger floods earlier collapse during a low-flow period?

A political conspiracy?

It has been claimed that explosives were used to damage the piers, to discredit Chandrashekhar Rao’s government. A complaint filed by an assistant engineer at Mahadevapura police station on October 22, 2023, mentioned hearing explosion-like sounds. Yet, even after two years, no probe was ordered into these claims. This inaction, despite the case falling under the Election Commission’s watch at the time, has fuelled suspicion of a cover-up.

Irrigation experts have questioned the explanation of piping (erosion of sand under the foundation) as the cause. Piping normally happens during high-velocity floods, not when the discharge is just 14,880 cusecs. Further, only two piers in Block 7 were affected, while 223 other piers in Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages remained intact. If design flaws were to blame, why was the damage so localised?

The barrage’s design also questions the piping theory. Each block is 203 metres long, 20.1 metres high and 4 metres wide, with piers spaced 20 metres apart. The foundation was reinforced with cement-concrete piles to face extreme conditions. In 2022, the barrage handled record floods of 8.18 lakh cusecs. But in 2023, under low flows, only piers 19 and 20 collapsed. This points more to sabotage with explosives placed at the base.

Political motives and weak security

The collapse happened on the Telangana side of the barrage, near the Maharashtra border, where security was weak. Unlike the Maharashtra side, which was better monitored, the Telangana side was more open, giving space for sabotage. The BRS said it was a calculated move to weaken their chances in elections by portraying the Kaleshwaram project as a failure.

The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Justice PC Ghose Commission later blamed design and construction lapses, and held contractor Larsen & Toubro and 30 officials responsible. But these findings rejected the sabotage angle without examining the reported explosion sounds or the timing of the collapse.

Storage myth

Another claim—that water storage at the barrage caused the collapse—is also misleading. To store water, all 85 gates have to be closed. But on October 21, 2023, only 17 gates were closed, and 13,100 cusecs were passing through 8 gates. This was just over 1 TMC in 24 hours, not enough for storage.

Unanswered questions

1. Why did only two piers collapse in Block 7 while the rest were safe?
2. Why were the explosion-like sounds ignored and no probe ordered?
3. Why did the barrage fail under low flow after surviving record floods in 2022?
4. Why was security weak on the Telangana side, and who had access to the site?

The Telangana Vigilance Commission’s report, dated March 5, 2025, sought criminal action against L&T and officials, but did not consider the sabotage angle. The BRS has demanded a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter, including checking phone records of politicians.

As someone who has closely followed Telangana’s irrigation projects, I believe the Medigadda collapse was an act of sabotage. The timing, the selective damage, and the ignored reports of explosions all point to a conspiracy to damage KCR’s legacy and the Kaleshwaram project.

The Medigadda Barrage is more than just a structure; it is a symbol of Telangana’s irrigation hopes. To call this a simple engineering failure without probing sabotage is unfair to the people of the state. A fresh technical inquiry, possibly with international experts, is needed to bring out the truth.

— V Prakash Rao is a river water activist and former chairman of the Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation.