HYDERABAD: The state government has decided to complete the Devadula irrigation project by December 2025. Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha are scheduled to visit the Devadula project in Warangal on Friday and inspect the ongoing works. They will also be holding a review meeting.
The Irrigation department accorded top priority for Devadula and expedited the works after the Congress formed the government in the state. The project was planned to be constructed in three phases. Land acquisition and around 91 per cent project works have already been completed.
Nod for land acquisition
The Congress government started the Devadula works with an estimated cost of Rs 6,016 crore in 2004–05. After that the project was expanded into three phases and the cost of the project too was escalated to Rs 17,500 crore. So far, Rs 14,188 crore has been spent on the project and construction works were nearing completion. Of the total 33,224 acres of land required for the project, so far 30,268 acres have been acquired. The present government gave the green signal for the acquisition of 2,956 acres.
The project was envisaged to irrigate a total of 5.57 lakh acres. In the first phase of the project, three reservoirs and four pump houses were constructed and irrigation water was provided to 1.24 lakh acres. In the second phase, nine reservoirs and seven pump houses were constructed and water was provided to 1.93 lakh acres. In the third and final phase, the government proposes to irrigate 2.40 lakh acres through 10 pump houses.
For the multi-lift irrigation Devadula project, 39.16 tmcft water will be lifted from Godavari for 170 days every year. The water would be lifted from Godavari river to a height of 469 metres. It is estimated that 499 MW power is required to lift water for three phases of the project, which would irrigate lands in eight districts — Warangal, Hanamkonda, Karimnagar, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally, Mulugu, Jangaon, Suryapet and Yadadri.