Telangana Puts Kaleshwaram Barrages on Hold for Rigorous Safety Clearance

Telangana's Irrigation Minister, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, has made it crystal clear: the crucial Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) won't see operation until rehabilitation works are fully completed and independently certified by India's top national authorities, namely the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Central Water Commission (CWC). The Minister emphasized that public safety and sustainability are the government's top priorities, not political games. This firm stance comes amidst mounting concerns over structural damage, particularly 'irreversible damage' to parts of the Medigadda Barrage, and ongoing water scarcity in Telangana, exacerbated by a weak monsoon and the El Niño effect. With an estimated Rs 1.1 lakh crore already invested in KLIS, the current Congress government under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy faces the challenge of repairing what they've called a 'human failure' from the previous BRS government, even as valuable Godavari River water flows unused downstream. The path forward involves extensive scientific studies, including geotechnical investigations and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys, expected to wrap up by July 2026. Following this, rehabilitation designs will be finalized by September 2026 under the close watch of the NDSA and CWC. Actual repair work is slated to commence by November-December 2026, with hopes of completion by summer 2027, though some experts suggest full operational status for all barrages might stretch into 2028.