Medigadda Needs Work
The minister was responding to a question on dam safety.
Hyderabad:The Centre on Thursday said that the Medigadda barrage was a Category-I structure, one of only three in the country, that could experience ‘failure’ if the ‘most serious deficiencies’ were left unaddressed. This was announced in the Lok Sabha by minister of state for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary, who said Telangana was “requested” to “implement the various preventive and mitigating measures” as recommended by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
The minister was responding to a question on dam safety. The NDSA following post-monsoon inspections had categorised all dams and similar structures into three categories with Category-III requiring minor remedial measures, followed by Category-II which indicated major deficiencies requiring prompt attention and action. With respect to Category-I, these are structure with “the most serious deficiencies, which if left unattended to, may lead to their failure.”
There are only three irrigation structures in India that fell into Category-I, as per the minister’s reply. While one was Medigadda barrage in Telangana, the others wer the Lower Khajuri dam in Uttar Pradesh, and the Bokaro barrage in Jharkhand. As many as 216 other dams in the country fell in Category-II, he added.
The minister also made it clear that the responsibility for safety of dams, including their operation and maintenance, was that of the dam owners. In Telangana’s case, the Medigadda barrage is owned by the irrigation department.
Choudhary said that the NDSA report based on post-monsoon inspection reports of 2025, “reflects serious safety concerns and vulnerabilities that pose significant risks and demand urgent intervention” for ensuring safety of the dams.
While the Lower Khajuri dam and the Bokaro barrage of the Damodar Valley Corporation were included in DRIP-II scheme for rehabilitation and safety enhancement, as far as the Medigadda barrage is concerned, Telangana was “requested to implement the various preventive and mitigating measures recommended by the National Dam Safety Authority to safeguard the structure’s integrity and resilience.