Hyderabad The Telangana government on Friday said it has initiated steps for a judicial investigation, led by a sitting high court judge, into alleged engineering lapses in the construction and operations of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project on the Godavari river.
The announcement came after a ministerial delegation, headed by state irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and comprising top engineers and senior department officials, visited the site of the ₹1 lakh crore project and inspected the damages caused by sinking of pillars of one of the barrages.
Speaking to reporters, Reddy said the government was deeply concerned over the alleged engineering lapses in the project that was built in 2019.
“For whatever reason, the pier foundation of Medigadda barrage has sunk, Annaram has developed leaks and cracks, and Sundilla has suffered damages. The inquiry and repair works will happen. This will make the project non-operational or less operational for a period of time,” he said.
“The financial burden on Telangana due to the Kaleshwaram project will be ₹15,000 crore a year. Nearly ₹10,000 crore bills are already pending with the irrigation department,” he added.
The sinking of six out of 86 piers – from the 15th to the 20th – and suspected weakening of the gates at at the sixth, seventh and eight blocks of the Medigadda barrage came to light on October 21, prompting irrigation authorities to empty the reservoir and ban traffic on the road constructed over the barrage.
{{/usCountry}}The sinking of six out of 86 piers – from the 15th to the 20th – and suspected weakening of the gates at at the sixth, seventh and eight blocks of the Medigadda barrage came to light on October 21, prompting irrigation authorities to empty the reservoir and ban traffic on the road constructed over the barrage.
{{/usCountry}}Last month, a technical experts committee, constituted by the National Dam Safety Authority to inspect damaged portions of the Medigadda barrage, declared the barrage “completely useless” in the present condition, unless it is fully rehabilitated.
Reddy said it was highly shameful that such a significant project collapsed within a few years of construction. “The government has initiated steps for a judicial inquiry, led by a sitting high court judge, into the lapses in the project. The findings will be reported to chief minister A Revanth Reddy for further action. Nobody responsible for the damages will be spared,” he said.
The minister also said the previous Congress government had planned the construction of the project, initially named Pranahita Chevella Project, at Tummidi Hatti village, upstream of Kaleshwaram, but the BRS government “redesigned it by changing the location to Kaleshwaram without a scientific approach”.
BRS legislator and former state minister Kadiyam Srihari, however, said the project was redesigned to prevent submergence of areas in Maharashtra and avoid payment of huge compensation to the state.
“The BRS government took up the Kaleshwaram project only after taking as many as 11 permissions from the Centre… It is surprising that the Congress ministers have been passing judgments even before the commencement of the judicial inquiry,” he said.