Telangana: PRLIS Vattem pump house affected by flooding

The Vattem Pump House, a key component of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project, was partially affected by the flooding.

Hyderabad: In a concerning development, flood runoff entered the audit tunnel in Package 8 of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project (PRLIS) late on Monday. The Vattem Pump House, a key component of the project, was partially affected by the flooding.

Four pumping units that were already installed with a capacity of 145 MW each, were submerged. The extent of the damage to these units is still being assessed. Efforts are underway to determine the status of machinery moved to the site for the installation of a fifth pumping unit.

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PRLIS Chief Engineer G Vijaybhaskar Reddy and other officials are evaluating the damage. Project officials have taken action to safeguard the infrastructure. The dewatering process is progressing, with pumps and other equipment deployed to remove the excess water.

The incident has been attributed to the neglect of the ongoing project, impacting the regular upkeep of key installations. Work on the project had come to a standstill since the Congress came to power, with a noticeable reduction in the deployment of watch and ward staff over the last six months.