New Chain Installation Underway for All 33 Tungabhadra Reservoir Gates
Gaviyappa also stressed the need for an alternative reservoir at Navali, pointing out that nearly 30 TMC of silt has accumulated in the Tungabhadra reservoir over the years.
Hosapete: Work on modernising the crest gates of the Tungabhadra reservoir by installing new chains is progressing rapidly and is expected to be completed by June 15 or 20, according to MLA HR Gaviyappa.
Speaking after reviewing the ongoing works at the dam, Gaviyappa said chains have already been fitted to two gates, while installation work for 15 gates is likely to be completed by the end of May. Chains required for 17 gates are currently ready, and the remaining ones are expected to arrive during the first week of June.
He said fabrication of all 33 gates had already been completed. The ageing and rusted upper mechanical system of the gates is being fully replaced as part of the modernisation exercise aimed at strengthening the reservoir’s safety.
Explaining the scale of the work, Gaviyappa said each gate weighs nearly 50 tonnes, and with the addition of two chains weighing around 1.8 to 1.9 tonnes each, the total weight of a gate system reaches about 55 tonnes. He added that the installation process is being carried out with strict safety measures.
Gaviyappa also stressed the need for an alternative reservoir at Navali, pointing out that nearly 30 TMC of silt has accumulated in the Tungabhadra reservoir over the years.
He said securing approvals from the Central Water Commission and completing procedures for a new reservoir could take between 10 and 15 years. In view of this, legislators from the region would soon meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and urge the government to initiate the Navali reservoir project in the interest of farmers dependent on irrigation in districts such as Raichur, Koppal, Ballari, Vijayanagara and parts of Andhra Pradesh including Kurnool and Anantapur.