Telangana’s KLIS set to hit high note

KCR to launch pumps at Markuk to lift water to Kondapochamma Sagar, the final point of KLIS

Hyderabad: With the wet run of two of the six (27 MW) pumps at Akkaram pumphouse completed successfully and the water reaching the Markook surge pool, Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) engineers are now getting ready to release water into the Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir on Friday. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will inaugurate the lifting of water by switching on pumps at Markook.

“This is a crucial step under Link-IV of the KLIS. The successful wet run of the pumphouses at Mid Manair, Anantagiri, Ranganayak Sagar, Mallannasagar, and Akkaram has paved the way for the release of water. However, the release of water for irrigation through canal network will begin by next monsoon,” a senior engineer overseeing the project work told ‘Telangana Today’.

While the two pumps at Akkaram have been continuously lifting water to Markook, the ceremony on Friday will see the release of at least 1.5 tmc of water into the 15-tmc capacity Kondapochamma Sagar.

Though the engineers have readied all the six pumps (34 MW each) at Markook, it is said that the inaugural run might be limited to a few pumps. The inaugural pumping will be more of a symbolic gesture of bringing water from Medigadda to Kondapochamma Sagar, which is almost 229 km apart. The inaugural also confirms that all the pumphouses of the KLIS, starting from Lakshmi (11 pumps of 40 MW each), Saraswathi (8 pumps of 40 MW each), Parvathi (9 pumps with 40 MW each) under Link 1 and Nandi (7 pumps with 124.40 MW each), Gayatri (7 pumps with 139 MW each) under Link-II and all the pumps under Link-IV have been working in tandem and in perfect condition.

While the KLIS is yet to complete one year since its inaugural on June 21, 2019, the engineers have also checked all the reservoirs, barrages and surge pools by filling them and checking the structures for leakages. Medigadda (Lakshmi), Annaram (Saraswathi), Sundilla (Parvathi), Annapurna (Anantagiri) and Ranganayak Sagar have been tested, and now Kondapochamma Sagar is awaiting its biggest test on Friday.

On the other hand, the mother reservoir Mallannasagar with a massive capacity of 50 tmc is yet to be completed due to the land acquisition issues. Once completed, the water from the Ranganayak Sagar will be taken directly to fill the Mallannasagar.

The KLIS envisages construction of 18 new reservoirs and linking of five old reservoirs with a total capacity of 141 tmc, against the old proposal of storing 14.70 tmc of the Godavari water.

Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.

Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .