Water — and the politics around it — defines Telangana like few other issues. On Tuesday, 29 September 2026, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy flew to Delhi and sat across the table from Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, pressing hard for approvals on a slate of irrigation projects that collectively shape the farming futures of millions across the Krishna and Godavari river basins.

Tummidihatti at the heart of the Delhi push

The most pointed ask of the meeting: persuade Maharashtra to grant clearances for the Tummidihatti Barrage — and do it fast. CM Revanth told Patil that Telangana has already submitted all the technical information Maharashtra requested, and that the ball is now firmly in the Centre's court to broker an inter-state agreement.

The engineering logic here is compelling. If the barrage is built to a Full Reservoir Level of +152 metres, water can flow by gravity directly to Yellampalli — eliminating the need for power-intensive pumping. That one design choice translates to lower electricity consumption and meaningfully lower operating costs over the project's lifetime. The CM urged Patil to ensure Telangana and Maharashtra reach an agreement at that height, quickly.

A queue of projects awaiting environmental clearances

Tummidihatti was just the headline. Revanth Reddy handed Patil a longer list: environmental clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), the Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme (DLIS), the Sitarama Sagara Multipurpose Project (SSMP), and the Gouravelli Reservoir — all pending at the Centre.

The timing carries urgency. Following a recent Supreme Court judgment on environmental clearance procedures, the central government announced it would issue fresh guidelines. Telangana's position: use that reset moment to clear these long-pending projects immediately. Every month of delay, the CM noted, adds to construction costs — an argument that is as fiscal as it is political.

Sammakka Sagar DPR and the Chhattisgarh dimension

On the Sammakka Sagar Project, Revanth told Patil that the Detailed Project Report has already been submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC). He sought clearances on irrigation planning and the interstate components of the project. Adding a diplomatic layer: Telangana is currently in talks with the Chhattisgarh government to obtain a No-Objection Certificate — a precondition before the Centre can move forward.

Telemetry network: Rs 4.15 crore already deposited

The delegation also raised a pointed operational issue. Under the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), a telemetry network is being set up across the basin. Telangana has already deposited Rs 4.15 crore for Phase 1 infrastructure. The CM asked Patil to ensure the Phase 1 machines are installed without further delay — and that planning for Phases 2 and 3 be accelerated simultaneously.

Joining the Chief Minister in the meeting were Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Minister Vivek Venkataswamy, MP Kaka Vamsi Gaddam, state irrigation adviser Adityanath Das, and CM Secretary Manikraj, along with senior officials — a delegation that signals the seriousness with which Hyderabad is treating these approvals.

Telangana came to Delhi with paperwork done, deposits made, and inter-state talks already under way. Now the question is whether the Centre can match that pace — because for farmers waiting on water across the Godavari and Krishna belts, the approvals queue is not an abstraction.