Uninterrupted Water Lifting from Underground Gayathri Pumping Station

The magnificent scene of water pumping from Gayathri Underground Pumping Station of Kaleshwaram Project is appealing to all the eyes; water is rushing through the mega pumps as if the mother earth is releasing all the water at once, so as to wet the thirsty barren lands of Telangana farmers. Flowing through the canals, this Godavari water is reaching Mid-Maneru reservoir that is already drawn a fresh look with filled water. An exceptional technological wonder created by Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) was commenced on 11th August and ever since pumping is being uninterruptedly from this underground pumping station. The pumping capacity of machines is being increased in a systematic way, as already 4 machines were functioning lifting 15,000 cases of water on an average per day. As part of the first phase, 5 machines were installed in this pumping station with a capacity of pumping 2 TMCS per day.

This world's largest underground pumping station, named as Gayathri (Laxmipur) Underground Pumping station has supplied nearly 11.40 TMCs of water to Mid Maneru in 22 days of its operation, with the help of 3 Machines; The first initiated 5th Machine has continuously worked for almost 380 hours over 16 days, while the 2nd machine was operated for 378 hours. Each of these two machines has pumped 4.80 TMCs of water on average. The 3rd machine which got into operation 10 days after the first two machines, has pumped 2.80 TMCs of water by working for 248 hours. All this water pumping is being done from 470 feet below the earth. This 'world wonder' underground water pumping station constructed all along with a length of 327 meters, has 5 machines in total, each with a capacity of 139 MWs. Work for installing another 2 machines are going on, a war footing note. Among these two, one machine has already completed its dry run.

Dispelling the apprehensions of cynics that there would be many technical and operational issues with this gigantic pumping station, Gayathri underground pumping station has been operating very smoothly since its inauguration. Performing wise it is breaking all the records set by MEIL itself in its various other projects located in various parts of the country. Pattiseema project which has got so much attention with its linking of Godavari and Krishna Rivers had 24 machines in total and so far it could pump 289.8 TMCs of water, since its inauguration in 2015. MEIL has got the recognition in Limca Book of Record for its meticulous execution of this project. In 2018, this project has worked for 76,068 hours pumping 96.94 TMCS of Godavari water into Krishna River. In 2019, it has pumped 27.22 TMCs of water by working for 21.356 hours (till 31st August 2019).

Lakshmi Pumping Station at Medigadda was inaugurated on 21st June by Chief Ministers of both the Telugu States, K. Chandra Sekhar Rao and Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, which is instrumental in lifting the water from Pranahitha. The six machines installed here have worked for 1595 hours in 36 days pumping 12.20 TMCs of water in total. The 6th machine inaugurated by Chief Ministers worked for 367 hours in 22 days lifting 2.80 TMCs of water. Rest of the machines are also working efficiently without any disturbance. The lately started 2nd machine has pumped 0.27 TMCs of water so far.

Saraswathi Pumping Station at Annaram with its 6 machines has pumped 4.86 TMCs of water in 16 days working for 461 hours in total. The 1st machine has provided 1.70 TMCs of water to Sundilla Reservoir in 8 days by working 161 hours. The six machines at Parvathi Pumping Station located at Sundilla which provides water for Yellampalli Reservoir and connects Link 1 and Link 2 of Kaleshwaram Project have worked for 23.67 hours in 11 days. But as Yellampalli Reservoir is already filled with Godavari flood water, the capacity utilization of this pump house is not being utilized to its full extent.

MEIL has got a distinct identity by installing such a massive pumping house for lift irrigation projects. Gayathri Pumping Station is the biggest among all the pumping stations constructed by this company. So far HandriNeeva project is considered to have the biggest pump houses in which 12 pump houses were constructed in the 1st phase and 18 pump houses in the 2nd phase. The 1st Pumping Station constructed at Malyala, a place located in the upper part of Srisailam Project, has 12 machines, each with a capacity of 5 MWs, making a total capacity of 60 MWs.

These machines lift water to a height of 38 meters. Kaleshwaram Project is much bigger than HandriNeeva as its Lakshmi Pump House itself is having 17 machines having a total capacity of 680 MWs. Gayathri Underground Pumping Station with 7 machines, each having the capacity of 139 MWs is bigger than this Lakshmi Pump House; the total capacity of the Gayatri Pump House is 973 MWs and its distinct feature is its construction at 470 Feet beneath the earth's surface. In that terms, it is not possible to compare any other pump house with this Gayathri Pump House.

Since its commencement almost eight years back, Malyala Pump House of HandriNeeva Project could pump 163.4 TMCs of water in the working span of 1242 days. Another big project Pattiseema could lift 289 TMCs of water during the last 5 years. Taking into consideration these achievements one could imagine how much water would be made available to the hitherto barren lands of Telangana if the four mega pumps of Link 1 and Link 2 are operated simultaneously. In this respect, MEIL is creating all sorts of records while executing prestigious Kaleshwaram Project, which is expected to bring a water revolution in Telangana.