BHUPALPALLY: Rehabilitation works on the damaged barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme are expected to begin by the end of November or in the first week of December this year and would be completed by the summer of 2027, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed on Wednesday.
Inspecting the ongoing Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) tests at the Medigadda (Lakshmi) Barrage in Ambatpally village of Bhupalpally district, the minister reviewed the progress of investigations at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages.
He said most preliminary investigations had been completed and the remaining studies, including hydrological assessments, GPR surveys, geotechnical borehole investigations and other technical tests, were expected to be completed by the end of June or the first week of July. Based on the findings, rehabilitation designs will be prepared and submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) for approval.
“The objective is clear. Complete investigations by July, finalise designs after the monsoon, begin rehabilitation by November-end or December, and complete the works by the summer of 2027,” he stated.
Uttam said that the government was pursuing the rehabilitation process on a fast-track basis and intended to complete the works in a single working season.
According to officials, GPR surveys across the three barrages are 80–90% complete, while borehole and geotechnical investigations have reached 75–80% completion. Some boreholes have been drilled to depths of 40 to 80 metres to obtain deeper geological data.
The minister said all future repair and rehabilitation works would be undertaken only with the concurrence of the CWC and NDSA to ensure long-term safety and operational reliability. A consortium led by
international design consultant AFRY in association with IIT Bombay has been engaged to prepare rehabilitation designs, while the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune, is conducting model studies and technical investigations.
Uttam said inquiries ordered by the Judicial Commission and the NDSA were examining the reasons behind the damage to the barrages.
He briefly alleged that deficiencies in the earlier design and execution had contributed to the problems, but said the government’s immediate focus was on restoring the structures safely and expeditiously in the interest of farmers.
