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07/08/25 08:27 AM IST

Telangana’s Kaleshwaram project

In News 
  • The project was conceived by the BRS government, headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao, to provide irrigation facilities to over 16 lakh acres in 13 districts of Telangana. 
About KLIP 
  • KLIP is a multi-purpose irrigation project on Godavari river in Kaleshwaram of Bhupalpally in Telangana.
  • Billed as the world’s largest multi-stage irrigation project and the lifeline of Telangana by the then BRS government, Kaleshwaram’s upstream influence is at the confluence of Pranahita and Godavari.
  • It utilises a canal network of more than 1,800 km.
Purpose of project 
  • The project was conceived by the BRS government, headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao, to provide irrigation facilities to over 16 lakh acres in 13 districts of Telangana, besides stabilising the existing ayacut.
  • It aims at storing and distributing 240 tmc ft of Godavari water of which 169 tmc ft is proposed to be allocated for irrigation, 30 tmc ft for drinking water to Hyderabad, 16 tmc ft for miscellaneous and industrial uses and another 10 tmc ft for drinking water supply to villages en route.
  • The government has constructed barrages across Godavari at Ramadugu, Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram.
  • The water is stored there for lifting to needy areas to cater to the drinking water and irrigation needs.
Cost of project 
  • 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, including canals and lining along with pumping facilities in some more parts, is likely to take few more thousands of crores.
Controversy around KLIP 
  • The project has been mired in controversies right from the beginning as the then government shifted the location from Tummidihatti to Medigadda even after reportedly receiving hydrology clearance for the former location.
  • The shifting of the site was made on the pretext of non availability of water at Tummidihatti, but the inquiry conducted by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose revealed that the Central Water Commission has estimated the water availability at Tummidihatti to be over 200 tmcft.
  • A major allegation that has surfaced in the construction of the project was that the barrages were constructed on permeable foundations rather than strong foundations that can withstand the inflow of heavy quantum of water.
  • The shifting of location — from Tumidihatti to Medigadda — too came under criticism as the almost 30% of the works at Pranahita Chevella Sujala Sravanti (PCSS) project — started by Congress government in united Andhra Pradesh in 2008 — at Tummidihatti costing over Rs. 11,000 crore were completed by then.
  • Another major charge against the BRS Government was that the decision to go ahead with the project works was taken solely by Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao and not the one taken by the Government amid charges that the then dispensation did not obtain the consent of the State Cabinet before launching the works.
Source- The Hindu 

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