Uttam Kumar Reddy orders review of Tummidihatti barrage plan after Maharashtra talks
Hyderabad: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday directed officials to explore engineering changes to the Tummidihatti barrage plan. The changes should address Maharashtra’s concerns over land submergence and environmental damage. In particular, he called for technically feasible and practical solutions that would minimise environmental impact without compromising the project’s irrigation objectives.
His directions followed recent talks between the Telangana and Maharashtra governments over the proposed barrage and its reservoir levels. Telangana has proposed raising the barrage’s Full Reservoir Level (FRL) from 148 metres to 152 metres. The aim is to improve water storage and utilisation.
After the discussions with Maharashtra officials, Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed the project’s technical aspects and proposed alignments. First, the minister instructed the irrigation department to carry out a comprehensive assessment of land that could face submergence at different reservoir levels. Importantly, he stressed the need to examine the project’s impact before finalising engineering options.
In addition, officials must identify changes that could address Maharashtra’s objections while preserving Telangana’s irrigation requirements. The review focused on how higher reservoir levels could affect surrounding land and environmentally sensitive areas. Further, Uttam Kumar Reddy told officials to prepare detailed maps of areas the Tummidihatti barrage could affect.
The maps must separately mark riverbeds, forest areas, eco-sensitive zones, protected core areas, revenue lands and human habitations. Officials must also assess the extent of submergence at different reservoir levels. Moreover, the minister said these assessments should give a clear technical basis for evaluating alternative engineering arrangements. Overall, he sought practical solutions to reduce environmental impact and address the neighbouring state’s concerns.
Telangana wants a higher level for Tummidihatti barrage
The proposed increase in the FRL remains a central issue in talks over the Tummidihatti barrage plan. Telangana wants to raise the level from 148 metres to 152 metres to enhance the project’s water storage and utilisation capacity. However, Maharashtra has raised concerns about possible submergence of land and the environmental consequences of the proposal. Meanwhile, the Telangana government is examining technical alternatives to address those concerns without affecting the intended irrigation benefits.
The proposal also figured in an October 26 meeting in Mumbai, where Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy discussed the matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Following those discussions, the minister directed officials to examine the technical implications and identify feasible engineering solutions. So far, no deadline has been specified for completing the assessments or finalising the modifications.
