Minister Says Original Pranahita-Chevella Design Is More Economical Than Kaleshwaram; Rules Out Water Storage at Medigadda Until Restoration
THE JOURNALIST POST NEWS DESK
HYDERABAD | July 7, 2026
Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday announced that the Congress government would revive the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi (Tummidihetti) Project, fulfilling a key election promise aimed at ensuring long-term irrigation and water security for the State.
Addressing a gathering at Praja Bhavan after a PowerPoint presentation on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, the Medigadda Barrage and rehabilitation plans, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government had decided to revive the original Tummidihetti design, describing it as technically superior, financially sustainable and less power-intensive than the existing Kaleshwaram project.The presentation was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers, Members of Parliament and MLAs.
No Water Storage at Medigadda Until Restoration
The Minister cautioned against storing water at the Medigadda Barrage until comprehensive scientific restoration is completed.He said the barrage’s foundation had suffered structural damage and warned that storing water without strengthening the structure would endanger public safety, government assets and downstream habitations.”There can be no compromise on public safety for political considerations,” Uttam Kumar Reddy asserted.
Kaleshwaram Cost May Exceed ₹1.5 Lakh Crore
Referring to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report of 2022, the Minister said the expenditure on the Kaleshwaram project had already crossed ₹1.27 lakh crore and estimated that the overall investment could now exceed ₹1.5 lakh crore.He described it as unfortunate that a project involving such massive public expenditure was now facing serious structural challenges.
Power Burden Increased Significantly
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the original Tummidihetti project required only about 3,466 MW of power annually, whereas the redesigned Kaleshwaram project requires nearly 8,450 MW, imposing a permanent financial burden on Telangana.He cited the CAG report, which observed that operating all Kaleshwaram pumps simultaneously would require electricity equivalent to the State’s total power consumption.According to the Minister, the original project envisaged 72 kilometres of gravity flow with only a 19-metre lift at Yellampalli, substantially reducing both power consumption and maintenance costs.
Criticism of Project Redesign
The Minister termed the decision to replace the original Pranahita-Chevella project with the Medigadda-based Kaleshwaram design as one of the costliest mistakes in Telangana’s irrigation history.He said the original project could have been completed for approximately ₹38,000 crore, while the redesigned Kaleshwaram project has imposed a financial burden exceeding ₹1.5 lakh crore.He further claimed that of the 165 TMC of water lifted through Medigadda during the past five years, 63 TMC had to be released back into the river during floods, while another 20 TMC was lost through evaporation, indicating design deficiencies.
Government Committed to Tummidihetti
The Minister said irrigation officials had explained why water could not presently be lifted through the Kannepalli Pump House and why restoration work at the barrages was unavoidable.He announced that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and he would soon visit the Tummidihetti project site to accelerate implementation.”The government’s decisions are guided by Telangana’s long-term water security, farmers’ welfare and the responsible use of public funds,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.