Telangana Govt Begins Revival of Kaleshwaram Barrages, Seeks Repair Proposals

Hyderabad: In a significant development, the Telangana government has taken the first formal step towards restoring the troubled Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) barrages. The Irrigation and Command Area Development Department has invited expressions of interest (EOI) from reputed design agencies to undertake the repair and rehabilitation of the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages. Proposals must be submitted by October 15, according to a notification issued by the Chief Engineer of the Central Design Organisation.

The decision comes exactly two years after a portion of the Medigadda barrage, particularly Block 7, sank, raising serious questions about the project’s structural integrity. The move is also being viewed as politically significant, arriving just ahead of the upcoming local body elections, with the ruling Congress government eager to showcase its commitment to rectifying past lapses.

The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) had investigated the collapse of Medigadda’s Block 7 in October 2023 and, in its exhaustive 378-page report submitted in April 2025, outlined several critical findings. The report identified multiple deficiencies—sand piping, cavity formation under the raft, poor construction practices, and inherent design flaws—that not only destabilized Block 7 but could also jeopardize other sections of the barrage.

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Further, the NDSA concluded that similar design and construction lapses were evident in the Annaram and Sundilla barrages, rendering them unfit for use. The committee recommended a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy that includes advanced soil testing, detailed hydrological and geotechnical studies, and the installation of real-time monitoring systems such as piezometers and sensors to detect anomalies before they escalate.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy recently instructed officials to fast-track the identification of suitable consultants for the rehabilitation works. He argued that the NDSA’s findings laid bare the serious failures of the previous BRS government, which, he alleged, compromised quality and accountability while plunging the state into massive debt to fund the project.

The state government had earlier set up the Justice Ghosh Commission to probe alleged irregularities in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the Kaleshwaram project. The commission, headed by a former Supreme Court judge, submitted its report on July 31, 2025. Following a detailed debate in the Assembly, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the matter would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough probe.

Experts say the government’s new measures are crucial not just for ensuring the long-term stability of the barrages but also for preventing future disasters. With safety, accountability, and political credibility at stake, the revival of the Kaleshwaram project has once again become a defining issue for Telangana’s governance.