Telangana Chief Miniser K Chadrasekhar Rao has dedicated to the nation the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project.
At a function hosted at the project site on Friday, the Chief Minister along with Governor ESL Narasimha Rao, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Phadnavis commissioned Phase I of the project.
The ₹ 80,500 crore multi-purpose project is designed to provide water to 45 lakh acres agriculture land, covering a stretch of bout 1,832 km apart from meeting drinking water requirements, including for Hyderabad and Secunderabad and various industries in the state.
As per estimates since the scope of the project has been further increased covering new areas, there is potential for overall cost escalation. The State has made out a case for making it a national project, so that it can get additional funds.
The project has 20 water lifts and 19 pump houses with water from the Godavari at Medigadda, 100 meters below sea level, will be lifted in six stages and supplied to Kondapochamma Sagar, which is at a height of 618 metres above sea level. Big pumps of 139 mw capacity each have been set up to lift 2 TMC feet of water every day this year.
MEIL’s pumphouse
The Medigadda pumping station underground, in a chain of total 20 pumping stations of this mega lift irrigation project, is amongst the biggest pumping stations set up in the project.
PV Krishna Reddy, MD, MEIL explained to the dignitaries about the unique features of the project.
The Medigadda pump house has been constructed in 18 months in such a way that each unit with a capacity of 40 MWs would lift 60 cusecs of water. It is built 91 meters above Godavari River with a total water lifting capacity of 660 cusecs. As part of the first phase, 11 units with a total capacity of 440 MWs would start functioning.
The Kaleshwaram Project has 82 pumping units with a total capacity of 4627 MWs. Of this, MEIL is constructing 63 units with a capacity of 3767 MWs. While pumps and motors are being supplied by electromechanical companies like BHEL, Andriz, Jailum, entire civil works are being taken up by MEIL.