Hyderabad: Touted as the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation project - Kaleshwaram, is finally a reality!
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), accompanied by Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra: Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and Devendra Fadnavis alongside Governor E S L Narasimhan formally inaugurated the project on Friday.
The three Chief Ministers switched on three pumps at Kannepalli pumphouse to mark the inauguration of the project. Considered as an 'engineering marvel', the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project has been a prestigious undertaking for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and more importantly KCR, as it would drought-proof Telangana by harnessing the flood waters of Godavari river.
The Kaleshwaram project was conceived from the Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi Project that provided irrigation facilities for an area of 16,40,000 acres in drought-prone areas in 7 districts in Telangana state.
It also planned to provide 10 TMC drinking water to villages, 30 TMC to twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and 16 TMC for industrial use.
Due to three main aspects, the project was later taken up for re-engineering.
Take a look:
1. Interstate issue with Maharashtra
PCSS is an interstate project between Maharashtra and Andra Pradesh. Due to submergence of the large extent of land in their territory, the Maharashtra government have repeatedly requested to lower the FRL from 152 m to 148 m. An interstate board was constituted to resolve the issue and Maharashtra has agreed to construct a barrage across river Pranahita with FRL 148m.
2. Insufficient water:
The water available is not sufficient to meet the planned utilization of the project.
3. Insufficient storage space in the reservoirs
So, there is a need to increase the capacity of existing reservoirs or creating additional reservoirs.
Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme is one of the World’s biggest irrigation projects and it is all set to irrigate a large portion of the entire Telangana State.
On 21 st of June 2019, Telangana Chief Minister Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao will be inaugurating the mega irrigation project that aims to utilize 225 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water from river Godavari.
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STORAGE CAPACITIES
There is a requirement of artificial reservoirs within and around the project area either by increasing the capacity of existing reservoirs or creating additional new reservoirs.
REVISED SCOPE
In order to make the project functional and effectively use the Telangana state's share of Godavari basin, an alternate location was proposed at Medigadda near Kaleshwaram, Karimnagar district.
THE ORIGINAL PROJECT HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO COMPONENTS
Kaleshwaram and Pranahita Project.
COMPONENTS OF LIFT SCHEME
- Series of Barrages across the Godavari River
- Water conveyer system consisting of Gravity canals & Tunnels
- Lift System
- Reservoirs
- Distributory Network System
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SALIENT FEATURES
- Gravity Canal - 1531 km
- Tunnel 203 km
- Pressure Mains/ Delivery Mains 98 km
- Total Length of the Water Conductor System 1832 km
- No. of Lifts 20
- No. of reservoirs 20
- Total Capacity of reservoirs 147.71 TMC
- Total Water being lifted from Godavari river - 195 TMC
- The water lifted from SYP - 20 TMC
- Ground Water - 25 TMC
- Total Water Availability - 240 TMC
- Water for Irrigation -169 TMC
- Drinking Water supply - 40 TMC
- Water supply to Industries - 16 TMC
- Designed Power Rating- 4627 MW
- Districts Benefitted -13 Districts
Total districts covered in New / Stabilization ayacut - 20 Districts
KALESHWARAM PROJECT
Total Actual Cost of the project is Rs 80190.46 cr
Total lifts used -20
Pumphouses – 19
Need of electricity:
4992.47mw for 2tmc of water /day
7152mw for 3tmc of water /day
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