Hopes high on Devadula redesigning

Warangal: After more than 13 years and gobbling up nearly Rs 10,000 crore, JCR Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme aimed at irrigating 6.21 lakh acres is set to take a new shape with the state government resolved to construct a barrage across the Godavari river near Tupakulagudem scrapping the proposed Kantanapalli barrage.

The upcoming barrage is designed in such a way that it has fewer issues compared to the one planned by the Congress government at Kantanapalli downstream on the same river. The new barrage reduces the burden of land acquisition significantly.

It may be noted here that a glaring error while designing Devadula LIS that overlooked the availability of desired water levels (71 metres) at Devadula intake point in Godavari river near Gangaram village under Eturnagaram mandal had prompted the authorities to construct a barrage at Kantanapalli 25 kms downstream to ensure the desired water levels at the intake point. Or else the project would be dormant for better part of the year.

Against this backdrop, the TRS government has come up with a plan to construct a barrage near Tupakulagudem. Although the new barrage is planned upstream of Kantanapalli, the site is ideal to store more waters besides ensuring 80-meter water level at the intake point.

It’s also ideal to draw water for a minimum of six months as against 90 days planned previously. This also saves huge swathes of land from submerging including a few tribal villages and forest land.

The new barrage also facilitates drawing of 60 TMC Ft of water from Godavari instead of originally planned 38 TMC Ft. after the completion of all three phases of Devadula works.

Speaking to The Hans India on Monday, Devadula superintending engineer Ch Chitty Rao said: “The new barrage coming up at Tupakulagudem will not only reduce the submergence area but also ideal to hold more waters on the river course itself.”

He said that burden of land acquisition has also come down to just 233 acres from nearly 10,000 acres, besides avoiding interstate problem with Chhattisgarh. As of now, the earth work is in progress at Tupakulagudem, he said.

Meanwhile, the State government has on Monday accorded administrative approval for Rs 2,121 crore for the construction of the barrage at Tupakulagudem with radial gates including hoisting arrangements, construction of guide bunds on right flank, head regulator for power channel with vertical gates including hoisting arrangements across Godavari. The works have been entrusted to the existing agency that is executing Kantanapalli barrage.

This apart, the government also revised the estimates of Devadula LIS from Rs 9,427 crore to Rs 13,445 crore. Revised administrative approval was also accorded to the Stage-II of the Sri Ram Sagar from Rs 1,043 crore to Rs 1,303 crore.