Survey Work Begins For DPR Of Pranahita-Chevella Barrage
Survey and investigations are going on for preparing the detailed project report for the Pranahita Chevella barrage: Reports
ADILABAD: Survey and investigation work has begun at the Pranahita river site in Kautala mandal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, for preparing the detailed project report (DPR) of the Pranahita-Chevella barrage at Thummidihatti. The exercise is being carried out by irrigation department officials along with Aarvee Associates, which got the tender for the DPR. Locals expressed happiness, saying their long-pending dream is closer to reality.
Teams are examining water levels and submergence areas at the proposed project site near the confluence of the Vainganga and Vardha rivers, which later form the Penganga. Officials also visited Asti village near the confluence. The survey team included Vikram Reddy and Anand, led by Saradhi, while the irrigation department team was headed by engineers R. Tirupati and K. Venkata Ramana, with technical staff led by B. Prabhakar, executive engineer of the Kagaznagar circle.
Prabhakar told Deccan Chronicle that Aarvee Associates will conduct surveys to channel water from the Pranahita-Chevella barrage to the Sundilla barrage of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) and finalise the DPR. Water will then be lifted into the Yellampalli irrigation project using the existing KLIS system.
He noted that an old canal, dug decades ago covering 70 km up to Mailaram in Nennela mandal, Bellampalli constituency, will be examined for forest clearances, land acquisition, and silt removal.
The proposed barrage will be located 1.5 km near Shivuni in Maharashtra, above the Thummidihatti site. While the earlier DPR had fixed the barrage height at 148 metres with Maharashtra’s consent, the new DPR will propose a 150-metre barrage, requiring fresh talks with Maharashtra if submergence issues arise.
Proposals for creating an ayacut of 1.40 lakh acres at a cost of ₹2,798 crore in Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial districts have been sent to the chief engineer of irrigation, Mancherial, for approval.
Sirpur (T) MLA Palvai Harish Babu said water cannot be taken directly to Yellampalli due to coal mines obstructing the canal route. Instead, it will flow by gravity to Sundilla, reducing canal expenditure. He added that people of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district have pinned great hopes on the barrage.