Maharashtra Responds Positively to Telangana’s Tummidihatti Project

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has responded positively to Telangana’s proposal to construct a dam at Tummidihatti with a height of 152 metres. He said Maharashtra would have no objection to reconsidering the earlier agreement if the project did not adversely affect the state, and expressed willingness to support Telangana’s water requirements. The remarks came during a meeting between Fadnavis and a Telangana delegation led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at Sahyadri State Guest House in Mumbai. Discussions covered the proposed barrage height, water availability, submergence impact and technical issues. Fadnavis proposed a study by the Central Water Commission and a committee comprising officials from both states to examine all aspects.

Telangana Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy explained the project’s importance, noting that a 2016 agreement had fixed the barrage height at 148 metres. He said that height would not fully meet Telangana’s drinking and irrigation water needs and argued that a 152-metre structure would offer greater benefits, including the possibility of transporting water by gravity. Telangana also expressed readiness to compensate farmers whose agricultural lands in Maharashtra may be affected, in accordance with the state’s land acquisition rules and compensation policy. Before reaching a final decision, both sides agreed on the need to examine technical, environmental and administrative factors and work towards a clear action plan with timelines for further discussions.