Medigadda repairs on fast-track

Hyderabad : The state government is making all-out efforts to complete the repairs to the Medigadda barrage before it receives flood water to Godavari river from Maharashtra.

The radial gate number 16 at Medigadda has already been lifted on Thursday. Gate number 17 was also opened in the evening. Since the southwest monsoon had advanced, the state Irrigation department is striving to complete the repair works on fast-track basis to ensure the smooth flow of water from the barrage.

“The works of removal of gates and cement concrete (CC) blocks, both upstream and downstream, under Block 7 of the Medigadda barrage, which had suffered maximum damage were under progress,” officials said, adding that the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) had suggested all gates of block 7 should be lifted to the maximum height before the onset of monsoon.

All components of the radial gates are checked before lifting them. Interim measures for block 1 to 6 and block 8 were also being taken before the monsoon. “In 10 days, the barrage will be ready for the free flow of water without creating any further damage to the structure, the officials said.

State Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy will be visiting the barrage on Friday to review the status of the works, the officials said, adding that the entire structure was still intact and the damaged piers at the barrage would be repaired only after the NDSA submitted the complete report on the safety of Medigadda.

Based on an interim report, the government took up temporary works to ensure the farmers avail irrigation facility under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme in the ensuing Kharif season. Removal of seepage and filling the leakages at Annaram and Sundilla barrages were also taken up. The NDSA report had found significant seepage in October last year. Dislodged cement blocks downstream Sundilla barrage were also a major cause of worry in the maintenance of the structure during the monsoon season.

As per the dam safety authority report, C blocks were dislodged during the monsoon in 2020 and wearing coats in rafts was also washed away in some places, the officials said, adding that all the works would be completed in 10 days.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is also planning to visit Medigadda before the barrage received inflows from Godavari and Pranahita.