Hyderabad, 1 October (IANS) Government of Telangana has invited the expression of interest (EOI) for rehabilitation and restoration of the designs and pictures of Medigada, Annaram and Sundarila barrage of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.
The Irrigation and Command Area Development Department invited EOI to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) Committee’s instructions to reconcile the EOI to coordinate the reputed design agencies of reputed design agencies for rehabilitation and restoration of three barrages.
The proposal for EOI is to be submitted before October 15, in the Chief Engineer, Central Design Organization, a notification.
The NDSA Committee, which conducted a thorough investigation into the project after some peers of Medigada barrage in October 2023, in April 2025 recommended preparations for rehabilitation design for the three barrage.
The report stated, “Based on the conclusions prepared from various investigations and studies, a suitable rehabilitation plan should be designed and implemented. The committee recommended that the irrigation department attachs reputed institutions and departments for these works. Designs, in view of the complications, have been reviewed by the Central Water Commission, the report should be reviewed by the Central Water Commission.
The final report is spread over 378 pages and 16 chapters, notes in its ‘recommendations’, such as issues like sand piping, formation of cavity under the fleet, construction defects, and shortcomings – already seen in the Medigada Barrage’s block 7 – can also affect other blocks.
The report states that issues such as sand piping, formation of cavity under the fleet, construction defects, and shortcomings seen in block 7 of Medigada barrage can also affect other blocks.
The NDSA concluded that the upstream barrage, Annaram and Sundila, which displays similar design and construction defects, have experienced structural crisis and damage, which unexpectedly present them.
Last month, Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had directed the department officials to identify and select design advisors for the required repairs for the barrage.
The minister also said that the NDSA report was a direct indictment of the previous BRS government, which used to highlight serious flaws in its design, construction and maintenance.
The minister accused the previous BRS government of mortgaging the future of Telangana by borrowing more than Rs. 1 lakh crore rupees at high interest rates to construct a project which collapsed during its rule.
The PC Ghosh Commission, which investigated the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project, submitted its report to the state government on 31 July 2025.
The Commission was constituted on March 14, 2024 under the chairmanship of the former Judge of the Supreme Court, which was done to examine the plans, design, construction, quality control, operation and maintenance of Medigada, Annram and Sundila Barrage of Kaleshwaram Project during the period of the previous BRS government.
After a marathon debate on the report in the assembly on 31 August, Chief Minister Revantha Reddy announced that the case related to irregularities in the project would be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
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MS/Red