Singur received 3TMCft of water this year, a year after it received 237 TMCft of water

Singur project in Telangana recorded its fourth-lowest inflow in 29 years, receiving just over 3 TMC ft during the 2026-27 rainy year. Low reservoir levels have prompted crop holidays, while officials warn drinking-water supplies may be affected from December onwards

Sangareddy: The Singur multipurpose project has recorded one of its lowest inflows since it was commissioned in 1997-98. Built across the Manjeera river near Singur village in Pulkal mandal, the project recorded the fourth-lowest inflow in its 29-year history.

Interestingly, the project received its highest-ever inflow during the previous rainy year. However, the Manjeera catchment received negligible rainfall during the 2026-27 rainy year, resulting in an inflow of just over 3 TMC ft during the southwest monsoon.

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The three lowest inflows were also recorded in the last decade. The project received just 1.818 TMC ft of water in 2019-20, its lowest-ever inflow, followed by 2.061 TMC ft in 2015-16 and 2.426 TMC ft in 2018-19, the second- and third-lowest inflows, respectively. The project recorded meagre inflows for two consecutive years, in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The project received just over 3 TMC ft of water this year as the Manjeera river’s catchment area experienced poor rainfall amid El Niño-related conditions. The project broke all previous records by receiving 237 TMC ft of water during 2025-26. However, irrigation officials could not store water to the optimum level after the National Dam Safety Review Panel (DSRP) advised the government to undertake repairs to the revetment of the Singur earthen dam, citing the risk of serious damage from heavy inflows.

With no significant inflows currently being recorded, the irrigation department has declared a crop holiday for the Singur ayacut during the Vanakalam season. The government had also been left with no alternative but to declare a crop holiday during Yasangi, as water was unavailable.

The project, a lifeline for the erstwhile Medak and Nizamabad districts, is a major source of drinking water for Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It currently holds just 3.246 TMC ft of water against its full storage capacity of 29.91 TMC ft.

Irrigation officials have already announced that they will not be able to meet even drinking-water requirements from December onwards.