Rs 2,500 crore estimate for Kaleshwaram barrage restoration

The Telangana government has estimated that restoring the three Kaleshwaram barrages could cost around Rs 2,500 crore, with Medigadda alone accounting for over Rs 700 crore, Telangana Today reports. Deccan Chronicle adds that the proposed repairs to Medigadda include building a new extended stilling basin on the downstream side and extending all 86 piers to its edge. The designs are being discussed by irrigation department engineers and experts from the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune, and will be submitted to the Central Water Commission for final approval.

Deccan Chronicle reports that officials face the challenge of clearing thousands of tonnes of accumulated sand at the barrages, which is three to five metres deep in places. There is also uncertainty over the damaged Block 7 of the Medigadda barrage, with options including repair, rebuilding, or constructing a blocking wall around it. Telangana Today notes that the state is negotiating fresh agreements with construction agencies even as more than Rs 800 crore in contractor bills remains pending, with Rs 460 crore due to L&T for Medigadda. An Oversight Committee is scheduled to meet in New Delhi on 12 October to examine the rehabilitation designs.