HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday said the redesigned Kaleshwaram project would be operationalised by 2028. He held a review with officials and constituted a steering committee to oversee the repair works.
At the review, the minister confirmed that AFRY India had been finalised as the design consultant and would work as a joint venture with IIT Bombay. He instructed the design team to work round the clock, seven days a week.
“We need the design as early as possible,” Uttam said, adding that the rehabilitation designs would be sent to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for approval.
He asked the consultants to remain in constant touch with Irrigation Secretary Parikshit Mehra and to bring any issues directly to his notice.
The design process will be backed by comprehensive geophysical, geotechnical, soil and hydraulic modelling studies. The minister directed that all required tests and data collection be completed on priority.
He said the state government was determined to bring the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the project back into operation at the earliest. The minister directed fast-tracking of rehabilitation works under a time-bound programme.
Uttam: Next two seasons crucial for KLIS repairs
Uttam said the next two working seasons — 2027 and 2028 — would be crucial for completing KLIS repairs. He expressed hope that Annaram and Sundilla could be completed within the timeline, while Medigadda could be made at least partially operational.
The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, has been asked to treat the rehabilitation as a priority and submit its study reports. Uttam asked government adviser Adityanath Das to coordinate with the CWC to secure approvals from the Union government. CWPRS personnel would be stationed at the sites continuously until the 45-day testing window was completed, the minister said.
A high-powered steering committee has been constituted with immediate effect, with Col Parikshit Mehra as convener, to implement the rehabilitation works. The committee will meet twice a week with the minister to review progress, while a dedicated officer will monitor work on a daily basis.
Executing agencies, including L&T, were directed to reactivate camps, mess facilities and logistics to ensure engineers, technicians and rig operators face no accommodation or food issues. Sand removal, geophysical tests and site preparation will be carried out with full agency support.
The minister said all tests must be jointly witnessed by the designer, CWPRS, department engineers and agency representatives, and properly documented. Uttam recalled that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and the Vigilance Commission had flagged serious defects in the foundations, design, planning and execution of all three barrages, adding that the problems were similar across the structures.