Telangana Prepares to Restore Kaleshwaram Barrages

The Telangana Irrigation Department has set a target of completing the restoration of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram project by June 2027, according to Irrigation Department adviser Colonel Parikshit Mehra. He said preliminary designs for the restoration works had been prepared and had received in-principle approval from the Technical Scrutiny Committee of the Central Water Commission (CWC). Estimates for the works will be prepared once the final designs receive approval. Mehra presented the restoration plan through a PowerPoint presentation at a press conference held by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy at the Secretariat on Saturday. He explained that the barrages were technically only about 50 per cent complete and that repairs would require a volume of concrete comparable to that used in their original construction. Investigations reportedly found that the force of floodwater released through the spillways had created deep scour holes downstream. Water stored in the barrages had also been flowing beneath their foundations and emerging through these holes, contributing to the damage.

As part of the proposed repairs, the stilling basins will be expanded to reduce the impact of high-velocity floodwater. The spillway length at Medigadda is proposed to increase from 46.8 metres to 66 metres, at Annaram from 45 metres to 66 metres, and at Sundilla from 30 metres to 58 metres. Diaphragm walls will be constructed upstream and downstream, while the foundations will be strengthened using reinforced cement concrete cut-offs. Mehra also said three options were being examined for the damaged seventh block of Medigadda barrage, which has subsided. The options include removing and rebuilding the six damaged piers while expanding the stilling basin; removing them and extending the spillway up to the crest pond level before reconstruction; or demolishing the entire seventh block and rebuilding it with significant design modifications. The final approach will depend on the technical assessment and approval of the proposed design.