Hyderabad: NDSA’s final report on Medigadda may take action

HYDERABAD: The final report of the multi-disciplinary investigation conducted by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) on the structural issues of Medigadda and two other barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project is not expected anytime before December.
When it was tasked with the investigation, its recommendations for full-scale rehabilitation of the project were expected within three to four months. But since these recommendations have to be correlated with the findings of ongoing studies assigned to three other central organisations, the process is likely to take longer. Of the three organisations tasked with carrying out fresh studies on the three barrages, one has just started its work.
Rising the river: Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme in Telangana
The Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS), one of the three agencies whose services were engaged for the purpose, is yet to reach the Medigadda barrage. The report of their studies is not expected before September next.
The NDSA expert team was tasked with carrying out a sub-surface study of the Medigadda barrage in March. On October 21 last year, two pillars had shifted from their normal position, causing major cracks in the structure. Some leakage problems were observed in Annaram and Sundilla barrages. Such issues should be resolved only on the basis of in-depth study.

The NDSA submitted an interim report responding to the directions given by the judicial commission which is conducting a parallel probe into the Medigadda issue. Officials said that even that report was not of much help to the department.

Precious time was also wasted in the process. Now that the water flow in the barrages has increased, there is no scope to continue the work in the river bed.

The three barrages were evacuated in March to facilitate the probe. But the three barrages are going to receive a huge inflow of water in the next one week to ten days. A major part of the interim work is yet to be completed.

After the pressure grouting process is complete, work is being done to open all the gates of the barrage at Medigadda while taking all precautionary measures. One of the 85 gates, in respect of which problems persisted, was completely removed.