Telangana CM seeks Centre's role in Tummidihetti Barrage dispute

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy met Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to seek the Centre's help in resolving a dispute with Maharashtra. Reddy urged for approval to raise the Tummidihetti Barrage's height from 148 to 150 metres.

Telangana Seeks Centre's Intervention

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Wednesday met Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil in New Delhi and sought the Centre's intervention to resolve the long-pending dispute with the Maharashtra government over the proposed height of the Tummidihetti Barrage.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Telangana Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Members of Parliament from Telangana during the meeting. Revanth Reddy urged the Union Minister to facilitate discussions with the Maharashtra government to secure approval for constructing the barrage at a height of 150 metres, instead of the 148 metres reportedly cleared by the neighbouring state.

Benefits of Increased Barrage Height

According to the Telangana government, increasing the height of the barrage to 150 metres would not significantly increase the submergence area, which is expected to remain below 1,000 hectares, while substantially improving the irrigation potential and overall benefits of the project.

Explaining the state's position, Revanth Reddy told the Union Minister that the revised height would enhance the project's utility without leading to major additional displacement or environmental concerns. The Chief Minister also highlighted the strategic importance of the Tummidihetti Barrage, stating that the project would enable irrigation through a gravity-based water distribution system. He said such a system would eliminate the need for large-scale lift irrigation infrastructure, thereby significantly reducing project costs, lowering energy consumption and ensuring more sustainable water management.

Strategic Importance and Call for Resolution

The Tummidihetti Barrage forms a key component of Telangana's irrigation strategy for northern districts and is intended to utilise water from the Pranahita River, a major tributary of the Godavari. The project has remained pending for several years due to differences between Telangana and Maharashtra over the permissible Full Reservoir Level (FRL) and the extent of submergence in areas falling within Maharashtra.

Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the project underwent several modifications. The Telangana government has maintained that a higher barrage level would improve irrigation coverage while keeping additional submergence within acceptable limits. During the meeting, Revanth Reddy urged the Centre to play a proactive role in resolving the inter-state issue through consultations with the Maharashtra government so that the project can be implemented without further delay. The Chief Minister said an early resolution would help accelerate irrigation development, improve water availability for agriculture and benefit farmers across the region. (ANI)

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