18th Crest Gate of Tungabhadra Dam Installed Successfully
All the 33 gates are to be fabricated anew and installed by June next year
ANANTAPUR: In good news for people in parts of Karnataka, Rayalaseema of AP, and Telangana, Tungabhadra Dam authorities have successfully fixed the reservoir’s 18th crest gate, as part of replacing all the crest gates of the 70-year-old dam.
An experts’ committee had suggested replacement of all the 33 crest gates of the inter-state Tungabhadra Irrigation Project after its 19th gate got washed away one-and-a-half years ago.
Experts led by troubleshooting expert engineer Kannayya Naidu succeeded in arresting the stored water flow by fixing massive iron plates. After inspecting all the gates of the Tungabhadra Dam, the experts’ committee constituted for the purpose underlined the need to replace all the gates of the seven decades’ dam. The committee pointed out that the lifetime of the dam had been estimated at 45 years, while the dam had served for an additional 25 years.
Ahmedabad-based Hardware Tools and Machinery Projects Private Limited bagged the work for replacement of all the gates at an estimated cost of `52 crore. The crest gates are currently being manufactured on the outskirts of Adavi Somapur village in Gadag district of Karnataka and given finishing touches at the Tungabhadra (TB) Dam site.
TB Dam superintendent engineer (SE) Narayana Naik told Deccan Chronicle that they have set the deadline of replacing all the 33 crest gates by June next year. According to him, a total of 65 experts, engineers and workers are involved in fixing the new gates.
Seven gates of the dam have been dismantled. Fixing of the 18th gate began on January 7, with its correct placement completed on Tuesday. “The new gate has been fixed smoothly in the first attempt itself without any issues. Trial run has also been carried out with no complications, showcasing the precision and coordination of the project team,” the TB Dam SE stated.
Installation of three more gates – 4, 20 and 27 – is in progress. Water level in the Tungabhadra Dam is being maintained at the crest level of 1613 feet, which is convenient for engineers to fix the crest gates.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Irrigation minister N. Rama Naidu have appreciated the team of engineers and the company officials for successful installation of the 18th gate.
Tungabhadra Dam had been constructed in 1953 with 33 crest gates for serving the irrigation and drinking water needs across parts of Karnataka, AP’s Rayalaseema region, and Telangana.
Replacement of all the crest gates is expected to enhance regional water security and dam safety ahead of the next monsoon season.
