Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, heralded as the centerpiece of Telangana's development, now bears the brunt of harsh criticism for engineering blunders, political overreach, and financial misappropriations. Advertised by the BRS government as the largest lift irrigation system in the world, it is now increasingly perceived as a costly endeavor that solves few problems.
Political Hype vs Ground Reality
Leaders such as K. Chandrasekhar Rao, K.T. Rama Rao, and T. Harish Rao had regarded Kaleshwaram as an achievement of Telangana's development. However, with its failure to meet important milestones, it has become a case study of what not to do. It was projected to irrigate more than 18.26 lakh acres but only 40,888 acres have been irrigated by March 2022.
Dam Safety Concerns Ignored
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) declared three key barrages—Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla—to be structurally unsound. Cracks that were identified in 2019 were left unresolved. The 2025 April report highlighted design flaws, sand piping, and hollow substructures. Blaming the BRS government, Uttam Kumar Reddy, the current Irrigation Minister, cited that the state currently spends ₹16,000 crore a year on servicing debt payments associated with the failed project.
Political Gaffe Suspicions Heightening
After Congress enjoyed a victory in 2023, the BRS has alleged that the ruling party has politicized the safety reports. Former Minister Harish Rao made an issue out of the timing of the NDSA findings and asked Congress's irrigation report. But Reddy has clarified that NDSA is a central agency instituted under BRS rule; it is not within the control of the current government.
A Single Glaring Miscalculation
CAG audits record aggregate spending to be almost precisely ₹1 lakh crore which includes ₹64,204 crores worth of loans. Additional interest payments added another ₹19,556 crore, raising total debt services to ₹87,370 crores. Power expenditures have surpassed by around an abysmally low return of investment of ₹10,374 crores yearly.
Proceeded With, Ignored Engineering Protocols and Oversight
Engineer Narender Reddy provided testimony about the absence of any semblance of constructive rigor. Reportedly, engineering heuristics were undone due to political forces:
Construction began before completing final designs.
Over critical safety examinations, essential preliminary checkups were bypassed.
Instead of completing 3D renderings, expedient 2D sign-offs were done toward stampede-esque abstractions.
Without appropriate consultation, the siting of barrages was shifted.
These factors led to Medigadda sinking in 2023, expected recovery costs of 470 crores, without budget provisions.
The Overlooked Pranahita-Chevella Option
Unlike the Kaleshwaram project, the initially proposed Pranahita-Chevella project had a lower budget and aimed to irrigate more than 1.6 million acres. However, it was ignored when the Kaleshwaram project was selected focus of attention. The site that was selected had geological problems, which made the project more costly and complex than it needed to be.
Distance from the Contractor and Current Condition
L&T and the other construction companies have maintained distance and blames the boss with differences claiming that they worked within the scope of the approved plans. In the absence of the Stiropass project’s servicing and Maintenance of Revenue Fund, Kaleshwaram’s future is uncertain.
