Telangana: Major infrastructural damage to two Lift Irrigation Schemes, cost put at Rs 700 crore

The state government has responded by releasing Rs 60 crore to address immediate needs and maintain the PRLIS, where work has been stalled since December last.

Hyderabad: The recent submergence of the Vattem Pump House under the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and the Bhakta Ramadasu Lift Irrigation Scheme Pump House at Palair on the NSP Left Canal System resulted in a significant loss estimated at Rs 700 crore. These twin projects have suffered extensive infrastructural damage, pushing the already cash-strapped Irrigation Department into a severe financial crisis.

The state government has responded by releasing Rs 60 crore to address immediate needs and maintain the PRLIS, where work has been stalled since December last. This fund is aimed at jumpstarting the restoration process and mitigating further delays.

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In terms of equipment, the PRLIS employs some of the largest pumps ever used in lift irrigation projects in the world, each with a capacity of 145 MW, supplied by BHEL. These pumps are even more powerful than the 139 MW units used in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project, often dubbed the ‘Bahubali’ pumps. The PRLIS pumps, now humorously referred to as the ‘Baap of Bahubali,’ were overwhelmed by floodwaters filling the giant tunnels and surge pools to the brim, with ‘adit’ tunnels directing water to the core of the pump house.

The initial step in the recovery involved completing the arduous dewatering process. Technical teams are currently engaged in a detailed inspection for visible damage, signs of corrosion, cracks, or debris in the systems. They are also assessing the water damage to the electrical components, which is crucial as floodwaters can cause short circuits or significant wiring damage. Simultaneously, mechanical parts like impellers and bearings are being examined for damage caused by sediment and debris.

Once the initial inspections are completed, the concerned agencies will perform test runs to check the pumps functionality. As part of the restoration efforts, the 450 MW substation of the PRLIS pump house has been charged. Technical teams will closely monitor the performance of the submerged pumping units and proceed with thorough cleaning to remove any accumulated mud, silt, or debris.

Given the extensive damage, officials emphasize maintaining detailed records of all inspections, tests, and repairs. This documentation will be vital for future reference, insurance claims, and addressing financial liabilities.

The PRLIS, including the submerged components, remained under the control of the implementing agency. But when it comes to the Bhakta Ramadasu Lift Irrigation Scheme Pump House, it is under the control of the Irrigation Department. The officials have put the loss at Rs 33 crore.
Twin pumping units with a combined yield of 600 cusecs were installed as part of the Bhakta Ramadasu Lift scheme to give water to some 59,000 acres that was part of the SRSP stage II tail-end ayacut. The restoration works of the pump house are already underway, said the officials.

The Rs 35000 crore PRLIS aims to provide drinking water to 1226 villages besides irrigating 10.30 lakh acres in the drought prone upland areas of the erstwhile Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy districts. The project involves lifting 90 TMCs of floodwater from the foreshore of the Srisailam reservoir over 60 days (1.5 TMC per day) during the flood season. The drinking water component of the project has all clearances to go ahead with and nearly 80 percent of all works were completed.