The Telangana government has decided to revive the Pranahita-Chevella lift irrigation scheme, originally launched in 2008. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed the state irrigation department to initiate dialogue with Maharashtra for the construction of a barrage at Tummidihatti village.
The project was conceived to harness water from the Pranahita river, lifting 160 tmc of water and irrigating 16 lakh acres across several districts. However, the previous government dropped the project and redesigned it as the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme.
After the Kaleshwaram project suffered damages in the 2023 floods, the Telangana government is now seeking Maharashtra's approval for the Tummidihatti barrage at a height of 150 meters. Officials claim that this would enable the utilization of at least 100 tmc of water and cause minimal submergence in Maharashtra.
The government has already spent ₹11,000 crore on the Pranahita-Chevella project and has completed canal construction in several areas. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ordered the officials to expedite the completion of geo-testing operations for the Medigadda barrage before the start of the monsoon season.
