Hyderabad: The three key barrages of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project – Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla – are unlikely to be back in operation before 2028 monsoon, with extensive repairs expected to take at least two years and cost an estimated Rs 1,200 crore.With chief minister A Revanth Reddy clearing the restoration plan last week, the irrigation department has accelerated geophysical and geo-technical investigations on the three barrages. The move comes amid mounting pressure from the BRS and farmers, who are demanding that the barrages be repaired and brought back into use at the earliest.Before any restoration begins, the govt must complete technical studies to determine the exact causes behind the sinking of some piers at Medigadda and structural damage reported at the other two barrages. The state has appointed AFRY, a European-based engineering, design, and advisory company, in joint venture with IIT Powai as a design consultant for the exercise.“Our intention is to complete the investigations in the next 40 days, i.e., by June 1, and the designs for taking up the repairs and restoration by Oct 31. The repairs will be taken up later and it is expected to be completed in two summers in 2027 and 2028,” a senior irrigation department official told TOI.Officials said the investigation phase is crucial and is being monitored by the Central Water Commission, National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) and Central Water Power Research Station.The NDSA, in its report, flagged irreversible damage to the raft and piers in block 7 of Medigadda and pointed to additional issues in Annaram and Sundilla.Multiple agencies pointed to lapses at every stage — planning, design and execution — that led to the serious structural problems. They recommended a comprehensive assessment of the barrages’ health and safety, along with rehabilitation designs, before repairs are taken up.The NDSA also suggested a series of studies for a thorough understanding of the condition of the barrages. A wide range of tests has now been launched, including ground penetrating radar, multi-channel analysis of surface waves, seismic tomography, borehole logging, confirmatory core testing and non-destructive tests to assess concrete strength, seepage paths and structural integrity.“The design will revolve around extended energy dissipation structures and new cut-offs based on results obtained during investigation and modelling studies,” a senior engineer said.Meanwhile, though the state govt has asked the barrages’ contractors L&T, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd and Navayuga to bear the restoration cost, the agencies are unwilling to take up the work. The govt, however, is keen to have them execute the repairs, citing their original role in constructing the barrages and extended liability obligations.
