TELANGANA'S KALESHWARAM PROJECT

• The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), situated on the Godavari River at Kaleshwaram in Bhupalpally district, Telangana, is a massive multi-purpose irrigation initiative.
• Recognised as the largest multi-stage irrigation project globally, it is located near the confluence of the Pranahita and Godavari rivers.
• The system spans a canal network exceeding 1,800 km. Conceived under the leadership of K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s BRS government, the project seeks to provide irrigation to more than 16 lakh acres across 13 districts of Telangana, while also stabilising the existing ayacut.
• It is designed to store and distribute 240 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) of Godavari water, with planned allocations of 169 tmc ft for irrigation, 30 tmc ft for Hyderabad’s drinking water needs, 16 tmc ft for industrial and miscellaneous purposes, and 10 tmc ft for drinking water supply to villages along the route
• The government has constructed barrages across Godavari at Ramadugu, Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram. The water is stored there to cater to drinking water and irrigation needs.
• The project was conceived at a cost of ₹71,000 crore initially. The cost escalated to close to over ₹1 lakh crore over a period of time. Finishing works is likely to take few more thousands of crores.

• The Kaleshwaram project has faced controversies from its inception, primarily due to the relocation of its site from Tummidihatti to Medigadda, despite reportedly securing hydrology clearance for the original location.
• The official justification for the shift was insufficient water availability at Tummidihatti; however, a later inquiry found that the Central Water Commission had assessed the site’s water availability at over 200 tmc ft.
• One of the major criticisms during construction was that the barrages were built on permeable foundations instead of robust ones capable of withstanding large volumes of water.
• The relocation decision also drew flak because nearly 30% of the works under the Pranahita Chevella Sujala Sravanti (PCSS) project—initiated in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh in 2008 at Tummidihatti, with costs exceeding ₹11,000 crore—had already been completed.
• Another allegation against the BRS government was that the project was approved solely by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, without securing the State Cabinet’s consent.
• Structural flaws in the Kaleshwaram project became evident during the BRS tenure when the piers of the Sundilla barrage sank, supporting claims about the use of permeable foundations. Additionally, two other barrages—Annaram and Sundilla—developed cracks after the government stored large volumes of water against technical recommendations

 

4. River and Irrigation regarding the Kaleshwaram Project

 

• Primary River: Godavari River – KLIP is located on the Godavari at Medigadda in Bhupalpally district, Telangana.

• Major Tributary: Pranahita River – The confluence of the Pranahita (formed by Wardha and Wainganga rivers) and the Godavari lies upstream of the project site.

• Upstream Linkages:

  • Wardha River (Maharashtra)

  • Wainganga River (Madhya Pradesh & Maharashtra)

• Downstream Impact: KLIP lifts water from the Godavari and channels it through an extensive canal network to various parts of Telangana.

 

Irrigation with the Kaleshwaram Project

• Irrigation Potential Created: Over 16 lakh acres across 13 districts of Telangana.

• Purpose:

  • Provide assured irrigation to new areas.

  • Stabilise existing ayacut (land already under irrigation) in command areas of earlier projects.

• Water Allocation Plan:

  • 169 tmc ft – Irrigation

  • 30 tmc ft – Drinking water for Hyderabad

  • 10 tmc ft – Drinking water for villages en route

  • 16 tmc ft – Industrial and miscellaneous purposes

• Canal Network: More than 1,800 km, carrying water lifted in multiple stages from the Godavari.

 

 

5. Way Forward

 

Forming a judicial commission to investigate the irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project was one of the Congress party’s poll commitments. Acting on this, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy appointed a single-member judicial panel, led by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, to conduct a comprehensive probe. Over the course of 15 months, Justice Ghose examined more than 110 witnesses, including former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, ex-Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, and former Finance Minister Eatala Rajender of the BRS government, the latter being questioned particularly for releasing funds with what was described as a “negligent and indifferent attitude.” The commission submitted its findings on July 31, after which the Telangana government decided to hold a debate on the Kaleshwaram project in the legislature during the monsoon session. The administration intends to present the lapses in detail to the public and seek inputs from all political parties, including the BRS, on the project’s future course

 

 

 

Previous Year Questions   1.Consider the following statements regarding the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. (TSPSC Group 1)   1. It was originally called the Pranahita-Chevella project.   2. It is a multi-purpose irrigation project on the Krishna river.   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?   A.1 only   B.2 only   C. Both 1 and 2   D.Neither 1 nor 2   Answer (A)

Source: The Hindu