Telangana govt orders expeditious rehabilitation of Kaleshwaram barrages

Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana will fast-track repairs of Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages. A steering committee has been formed, with focus on completing designs, tests and rehabilitation works to restore KLIS operations

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy asserted that Telangana government was determined to bring Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla back into operation at the earliest and directed officials to treat the next two working seasons (2027 and 2028) as crucial in the process of completing the KLIS repairs.

The Minister wanted the rehabilitation works to be fast-tracked to restore the project to full operational status under a time-bound programme. He expressed hope that Annaram and Sundilla could be made fully operational within the timeline set for the purpose, while Medigadda can be made at least partially operational simultaneously.

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He held a high-level review meeting on rehabilitation of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project barrages here on Sunday. Apart from officials, representatives of the CWPRS, agencies tasked with rehabilitation designs and implementation agencies including L&T participated in the meeting.

The Minister said that statutory agencies including the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Vigilance Commission had already flagged serious defects in the foundations, design, planning and execution of all three barrages. He added that the fundamental problems were identical across the three structures.

AFRY India and IIT Mumbai tasked with fresh designs

The State government has already finalised a design consultant, AFRY India, to work in a joint venture with IIT Mumbai.

“We need the design as early as possible,” the Minister said to the consultant. The designs would have to be sent to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for approval immediately after submission, he stressed.

The design process would be backed by comprehensive geophysical, geotechnical, soil, hydraulic modelling and other studies. The Minister directed that all required tests and data must be completed on top priority.

CWPRS given highest priority

The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, a Government of India organisation, has been entrusted with the task of tests and studies. The CWPRS personnel must be stationed at the sites continuously until the 45-day testing window is completed.

The Minister also announced the constitution of a high-powered Steering Committee with immediate effect, with Colonel Parikshit Mehra as the Convenor to spearhead the implementation of rehabilitation works.

The executing agencies, including L&T, have been directed to immediately reactivate their existing camps, mess facilities and logistics so that engineers, technicians and rig operators face no accommodation or food issues. Sand removal, GPR (geophysical) tests and site preparation will be carried out with full agency support.

The Minister emphasised that all tests must be jointly witnessed by the designer, CWPRS, department engineers and agency representatives, and everything must be properly documented.