Telangana CM Revanth Reddy urges Centre to fast-track Tummidihatti barrage approvals
Synopsis
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy carried a stack of stalled irrigation projects to New Delhi on Tuesday — from the Tummidihatti barrage needing Maharashtra's sign-off, to four schemes awaiting environmental clearances and a Supreme Court-triggered policy window the state wants to leverage now. The cost of delay, he told the Centre, is already showing up in ballooning construction bills.
Key Takeaways
Revanth Reddy met Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on 29 September 2026 to push for pending irrigation approvals.
The CM urged Centre-facilitated dialogue with Maharashtra to enable construction of the Tummidihatti barrage at FRL +152 metres on the Godavari River.
Environmental clearances sought for PRLIS , DLIS , SSMP , and Gauravelli reservoirs ; the CM cited revised guidelines post-Supreme Court verdict.
CWC approvals requested for the Sammakka Sagar project ; NOC talks with Chhattisgarh government are ongoing.
Telangana has deposited ₹4.15 crore for Phase 1 of the KRMB telemetry system and wants all three phases completed swiftly.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, 29 September met Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi to press for swift resolution of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage on the Godavari River, requesting Centre-facilitated dialogue with the Maharashtra government to unlock the project's approvals. The meeting also covered a range of pending clearances for Telangana's irrigation projects in the Krishna and Godavari basins.
Tummidihatti Barrage at the Centre of Talks
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, accompanied by State Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, briefed the Union Minister on the proposal already submitted to the Maharashtra government for the barrage's construction. He urged Patil to expedite an inter-state agreement between Telangana and Maharashtra to build the Tummidihatti barrage at a Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of +152 metres.
According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), constructing the barrage at the 152-metre level would enable gravity-fed water supply to the Yellampalli project, significantly reducing both electricity consumption and associated operational costs. The Chief Minister positioned this as a fiscally prudent engineering choice with long-term savings for the state.
Environmental Clearances: A Persistent Bottleneck
Revanth Reddy appealed to the Jal Shakti Minister to grant pending environmental clearances for four major irrigation schemes: the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme (DLIS), Sitarama Sagar Multipurpose Project (SSMP), and Gauravelli reservoirs.
The Chief Minister drew attention to recently revised national guidelines for environmental clearances in the wake of a recent Supreme Court verdict, urging the Centre to apply these updated norms to accord immediate approvals. He cautioned that delays in securing clearances were directly escalating construction costs — a concern that grows with each passing month.
Sammakka Sagar Project and CWC Approvals
The meeting also addressed the Sammakka Sagar project, for which the Detailed Project Report (DPR) has already been submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC). Revanth Reddy requested Patil to expedite CWC approvals concerning the project's irrigation plan and inter-state dimensions. He noted that discussions with the Chhattisgarh government to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) are currently underway.
Telemetry System and KRMB Works
The Chief Minister and the Union Minister also reviewed the pending installation of a telemetry system being executed by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Revanth Reddy informed Patil that the Telangana government has already deposited the requisite ₹4.15 crore for the first phase of installation and urged swift completion across all three phases.
The delegation included State Minister G. Vivek Venkatswamy, Member of Parliament Gaddam Vamsi Krishna, MLA Gaddam Vinod, State Government Advisor (Irrigation) Adityanath Das, and CM's Secretary Manikraj. With multiple inter-state and federal clearances pending, the outcome of this engagement with the Centre will determine the pace at which Telangana's irrigation infrastructure moves forward.
Point of View
River management boards, and multiple state governments — can slow projects long after engineering decisions are made. The fact that the Tummidihatti barrage still requires inter-state negotiation despite being on Telangana's planning books for years points to structural friction that individual ministerial meetings rarely resolve. The CM's invocation of the Supreme Court's recent environmental clearance ruling is a tactical move — framing delays as legally untenable — but whether the Centre acts on it depends on political bandwidth. With construction costs rising every quarter these approvals are withheld, the financial argument for urgency is at least as strong as the legal one.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tummidihatti barrage and why is it significant for Telangana?
The Tummidihatti barrage is a proposed structure on the Godavari River that Telangana seeks to build at a Full Reservoir Level of +152 metres. At this level, it would enable gravity-fed water supply to the Yellampalli project, reducing electricity consumption and operational costs for the state's irrigation network.
Why does Telangana need Maharashtra's agreement for the Tummidihatti barrage?
The Godavari River flows through both Telangana and Maharashtra, making the barrage an inter-state project requiring consent and coordination between the two states. Telangana has already submitted the proposal to Maharashtra and is seeking Centre-facilitated dialogue to expedite an agreement.
Which irrigation projects are awaiting environmental clearances?
Telangana is seeking environmental clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme (DLIS), Sitarama Sagar Multipurpose Project (SSMP), and Gauravelli reservoirs. CM Revanth Reddy cited revised national guidelines following a recent Supreme Court verdict to push for immediate approvals.
What is the current status of the Sammakka Sagar project?
The Sammakka Sagar project's Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC), and approvals on the irrigation plan and inter-state aspects are pending. Telangana is also in discussions with the Chhattisgarh government to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the project.
What is the KRMB telemetry system issue raised in the meeting?
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) is installing a telemetry system across three phases; installation remains incomplete. Telangana has already deposited ₹4.15 crore for Phase 1 and has urged the Centre to expedite completion of all three phases.
