Uttam requests officials to approach the Ministry of Justice and NDSA regarding the operation of KLIP barrages

One of the damaged piers of the Medigadda Barrage of Kaleshwaram project. | Photo credit: By arrangement

HYDERABAD

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed the Irrigation Department authorities to immediately write to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) and the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) seeking clear technical guidelines for the future operation of the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).

At a high-level review meeting with officials, the minister said a written recommendation from any relevant technical authority would be mandatory to decide whether storage and pumping operations can be safely resumed.

“The correspondence with the MoH should clearly explain why the dams were not used for storage or pumping, and request a formal opinion from the relevant technical authorities,” he suggested. The Minister also directed that copies of the communication be provided to the Resident Commissioner for immediate transmission to senior officials in the MoH.

During the review, officials noted that recent statements issued by the Union Minister for Jal Shakti and correspondence from the ministry largely referred to the general policy of state governments taking operational decisions regarding dams, but did not specifically address the recommendations contained in the NDSA report.

He said the state government had followed all the technical recommendations of the NDSA and the Ministry of Health in investigating the dams with a view to fully rehabilitating them. Stating that some problems have also surfaced in the Annaram Barrage raft foundation, the minister reviewed the ongoing rehabilitation study and was informed that the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) is in the final stages of analyzing the latest GPR data and other technical inputs.

“The water cannot be contained in the Annaram Barrage at the present stage also because certain problems indicating voids have surfaced in the foundation of the raft,” officials of the minister informed. Based on the available investigations, a draft concept for the restoration of the Medigadda Dam will be prepared by the end of August. A preliminary estimate of remediation costs will also be ready by mid-September, they said. More technical inputs regarding Annaram and Sundilla will be available over the next two weeks.

The review also examined proposals regarding possible pumping during the current monsoon. Officials explained that just because water flows downstream does not automatically mean pumping is technically feasible. Temporary interventions and pumping without meeting the required hydraulic conditions could prove ineffective and could even exacerbate existing structural problems below the dam.

The minister reiterated that no operational decision will be taken on the basis of political pressure, but only on the basis of reliable technical evidence.

Published – 24 Jul 2026 20:35 IST