Medigadda Barrage repairs to be delayed further

TS govt for further probe into all 3 barrages

Hyderabad: The ongoing investigations into the Medigadda barrage, irrespective of their findings and the end results, will not be final. The State government, which discussed the issue during the Cabinet meeting on Monday, is firm on conducting further investigations in all the three barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project for taking up rehabilitation works on a permanent basis, which in turn could mean that the repairs could take longer than expected.

Three central organisations, the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Central Water and Power Research Station (WPRS) and the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) are in consideration for further investigations, according to Irrigation officials. Issues such as suspected construction deficiencies, design discrepancies, maintenance neglect and settlement of the barrage raft have been under the scrutiny of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) team. There is more to be investigated to take up permanent repairs. They are the key aspects to be probed and mandatory also, officials said.

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The NDSA had so far recommended interim works to address the factors that were likely to render the structures further vulnerable in the absence of at least temporary works. The NDSA team will recommend further studies to be conducted and investigations to be made to mitigate the distress and prevent their recurrence, they added.

Already, three agencies – the State Vigilance, NDSA and above all the Judicial Commission headed by Justice PC Ghose – are half way through their tasks. If more agencies are to join the exercise and conduct parallel investigations, delays are inevitable, officials said.

Inflows begin

Even the interim works recommended by the NDSA would take four months to complete in normal course. The Irrigation Department has embarked upon temporary works expecting that the implementing agencies would get at least three weeks to complete the key components of the works recommended. However, their plans were upset with heavy rains received in the catchment area spread over both Telangana and Maharashtra. The Medigadda barrage started receiving inflows from Monday morning. The initial inflows were in the range of 3000 cusecs to 3500 cusecs and were expected to increase by Tuesday.

The work space in the impacted area of the barrage was cleared three months ago. The inflows, it is feared, may not allow men and machinery to work on damaged piers and the monsoons are expected to set in early this year. On the whole, the repairs on the Medigadda Barrage are under a cloud of uncertainty now.

Though men and machinery started reaching the barrage site on Sunday, the work could not be commence in a full-fledged manner as the material was expected to reach the work place only by Monday evening. In case of a further rise in the inflows, it would be difficult to work in the barrage site, officials said.

“The cofferdam works were completed at the Medigadda barrage. But we are not sure as to what extent it would be useful to resume work on the barrage. In case of heavy floods, no repairs on the barrage would be possible. We may have to plan the permanent rehabilitation woks on the barrages only after March 2025,” a senior officer said.