Telangana Pushes Talks with Maharashtra to Resolve Tummidihatti Barrage Height Issue

Hyderabad, May 2026 : The Telangana government has initiated fresh discussions with the Maharashtra government over finalising the height and construction parameters of the proposed Tummidihatti Barrage across the Godavari River, a key component of the long-delayed Pranahita–Chevella Sujala Sravanthi irrigation project.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has formally written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, requesting the early scheduling of a high-level meeting between the two states. He also proposed that a delegation led by him from Telangana participate in the talks to expedite a mutually acceptable decision.

The Tummidihatti Barrage is planned as part of the B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita–Chevella Sujala Sravanthi Project, which aims to provide irrigation and drinking water to large parts of northern Telangana. The project has been under consideration for several years due to inter-state water-sharing and technical disagreements.

Initially, the proposal envisaged constructing the barrage with a full reservoir level (FRL) of 152 metres. However, during an Inter-State Board meeting held on August 23, 2016, the Maharashtra government had agreed to a reduced height of 148 metres at the Tummidihatti site and also assured cooperation in securing necessary statutory clearances.

In recent months, however, the Telangana government has revisited the technical feasibility of the earlier decision. After a series of consultations with irrigation experts and senior officials, the state concluded that an FRL of 148 metres would not be sufficient to meet the long-term irrigation and drinking water requirements of districts such as Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Medak.

Following this assessment, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy urged Maharashtra to reopen discussions on the barrage height. In his letter, he emphasised that a slightly higher FRL would significantly improve Telangana’s ability to divert water through gravity, thereby reducing dependence on energy-intensive lift irrigation systems.

The Chief Minister also argued that the impact of submergence in Maharashtra would remain minimal even if the FRL is marginally increased beyond 148 metres, making a revised agreement feasible and balanced for both states.

The Congress government in Telangana has also reiterated its commitment to reviving the Pranahita–Chevella Project, which it describes as a critical lifeline for north Telangana. Last year, the state government announced its decision to revive the project, which had earlier been merged into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme under the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime.

Officials described the earlier merger as a “historic mistake” that delayed the original irrigation plan. The present government has now prioritised restoring the project’s original alignment and objectives.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had earlier stated on April 29 that the government is fully committed to implementing the Pranahita–Chevella Project in line with its election manifesto promises. He said detailed proposals have already been prepared and are under active consideration.

The government is also exploring alternative technical alignments, including options to divert water from Tummidihatti to the Yellampalli project, with the objective of irrigating lakhs of acres across multiple districts.

As inter-state consultations progress, Telangana has expressed hope that constructive dialogue with Maharashtra will help resolve outstanding issues and pave the way for early execution of the long-pending irrigation project.