Hyderabad, April 10 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed the concerned officials to expedite the repairs of the three damaged barrages of the Kaleshwaram irrigation project and resume operations as soon as possible.
All restoration work must strictly adhere to the safety guidelines prescribed by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), he said.
During a meeting with Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and irrigation officials, he tasked them with creating a specific action plan for the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages, along with a system for continuous monitoring, according to an official release on Thursday evening.
The Chief Minister made it clear that the tests and sample collection currently being conducted under the aegis of the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) must be completed before the onset of the monsoon season.
A dedicated team comprising representatives from the Irrigation department, CWPRS, barrage construction agencies, and design consultants would also be formed.
Officials from the Central Water Commission (CWC) would also be involved in every stage of the work, it said.
Engineers informed the Chief Minister that a comprehensive study of the entire 1.6-kilometer Medigadda barrage is necessary, rather than limiting the investigation to the specific piers that were damaged.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to prepare a special action plan for drilling 500 borewells near Medigadda and procure the necessary machinery for this purpose.
Warning that delays in the execution of work would not be tolerated, CM Revanth Reddy assured that the required funds would be provided and suggested establishing a base camp at Medigadda.
The CM will visit the site once the work commences, the release added.
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is a multi-purpose project on the Godavari river in the Bhupalpally district.
Damage to the barrages, built during the previous BRS regime, was a major issue during the 2023 Assembly election.
