The collapse of the piers was considered one of the factors that led to the downfall of the BRS government in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Published Oct 01, 2025 | 3:37 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2025 | 3:37 PM
File photo of Medigadda barrage.
Synopsis: Telangana government seeks Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from design agencies for rehabilitation designs and construction drawings for the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project. Following NDSA recommendations addressing structural damage, EoIs are due by October 15, 2025, amid ongoing technical and political scrutiny.
The Telangana government has invited Expressions of Interest (EoIs) from reputed design agencies to prepare comprehensive rehabilitation and restoration designs and detailed construction drawings for the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, the three critical components of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP).
The notice said that EoIs should be submitted in a sealed cover to the Chief Engineer, Central Designs Organisation, at Jala Soudha Building in Hyderabad on or before 15 October. The sealed covers will be opened at 5 pm the same day by the Chief Engineer, CDO, or by any officer on his behalf.
The move follows technical recommendations by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), which submitted its assessments after inspecting damage at Medigadda and seepage and structural concerns at Annaram and Sundilla.
The NDSA’s reports flagged severe distress in parts of Block-7 at Medigadda and recommended urgent remedial measures — including temporary removal of gates in affected sections, placement of cement-concrete protective blocks and further geotechnical and structural investigations before full restoration is attempted.
Medigadda’s trouble traces back to October 2023, when piers in Block-7 sank and developed major cracks, prompting national expert intervention and a continuing series of technical and administrative probes.
The incident and the subsequent NDSA scrutiny elevated the issue from a state engineering problem to a political controversy. The collapse of the piers was considered one of the factors that led to the downfall of the BRS government in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Beyond engineering fixes, the Kaleshwaram controversies have intensified after the advent of the Congress regime in the state. A judicial commission led by Justice PC Ghose has reported on alleged irregularities in the planning and execution of the KLIP barrages, and state authorities have forwarded material to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Anti-Corruption Bureau, and Vigilance and Enforcement departments, which are reported to be examining it.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
