Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced on Friday, 23 October that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed willingness to hold talks on the proposed Tummidihatti Barrage across the Godavari River. Revanth Reddy directed state officials to prepare for a crucial inter-state dialogue, signalling a potential breakthrough in a long-running water dispute between the two states.

Key Developments at the Review Meeting

The Telangana CM chaired a high-level internal review meeting in Hyderabad, attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ministers Jupally Krishna Rao and Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Rajya Sabha member Vem Narender Reddy, and senior officials from the Irrigation wing.

Irrigation engineers briefed the Chief Minister on the volume of water that could be diverted up to the Yellampalli project by constructing the barrage at heights of 152 metres and 150 metres, respectively. The meeting also reviewed contentious issues surrounding the Dindi and Achampet lift irrigation projects.

Submergence Impact: The Height Question

Officials clarified that the barrage's construction would not pose any submergence risk to villages within Maharashtra. However, the height of the structure carries significant consequences for land impact: a barrage at 152 metres would submerge approximately 2,300 acres of land, while a height of 150 metres would limit submergence to under 1,000 acres.

Revanth Reddy noted that Maharashtra had previously agreed to a barrage height of 148 metres, but argued that such a height would not allow diversion of the required water volume. He directed officials to prepare comprehensive technical reports — covering water availability, submergence extent, and other relevant factors — to persuade Maharashtra to agree to the 152-metre height.

Why Tummidihatti Matters for Adilabad

The Chief Minister underscored that the barrage is intended to provide irrigation water to 2 lakh acres in the undivided Adilabad district — a region characterised by dense forests, a significant tribal population, and decades of socio-economic backwardness. He expressed hope that constructive discussions with Maharashtra would resolve what he described as a 'decades-old water crisis' in the tribal-dominated district.

Revanth Reddy stressed that the barrage would directly benefit forest-dwelling communities who have long rallied under the banner of 'Jal, Jungle, Zameen' (Water, Forest, and Land). This framing positions the project as a social equity imperative as much as an irrigation initiative.

Central Water Commission Role and Next Steps

The CM instructed officials to keep all details from previous inter-state meetings held in Delhi under the aegis of the Central Water Commission (CWC) readily available and to promptly furnish any information the CWC requests. Officials were also directed to focus on route design for water flow from Tummidihatti to Yellampalli and to initiate land acquisition once clarity on the barrage height is established.

Revanth Reddy urged state ministers to clearly articulate Telangana's water requirements and present the state's position effectively when talks with Maharashtra are convened. With Fadnavis reportedly signalling openness to dialogue, the next round of inter-state negotiations — likely under CWC oversight — will be closely watched.