Now Reading: Kaleshwaram barrage operation rests with state: CWC, NDSA tell HC
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Kaleshwaram barrage operation rests with state: CWC, NDSA tell HC
The Central Water Commission and the National Dam Safety Authority have told the Telangana high court that decisions on operating the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme's barrages lie with the state government's project…
The Central Water Commission and the National Dam Safety Authority have told the Telangana high court that decisions on operating the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme's barrages lie with the state government's project authority, not with them. The agencies filed affidavits in response to a writ petition seeking a comprehensive technical inspection of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages after cracks and sinking of piers were reported.
The NDSA said it had set up a six-member committee in October 2023, which found in November 2023 that damage was caused by shortcomings in planning, design, construction quality and operation and maintenance. A second committee led by former CWC chairman J Chandrashekhar Iyer suggested interim safety steps including keeping gates fully open before monsoon. The NDSA formed a technical oversight committee in June 2026 to guide rehabilitation once the state takes it up.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Kaleshwaram project, among the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation schemes, was built at a cost exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore and supplies water to large parts of Telangana. Cracks at Medigadda within a year of inauguration led the state to form its own expert panel, but the central agencies' submission now confirms that rehabilitation design and execution remain the state's responsibility. The key question is whether the state government will initiate the rehabilitation work recommended by the technical oversight committee, and how soon farmers dependent on the project can expect restored irrigation from the three barrages.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
