Kaleshwaram estimates go up

Increase in cost by ₹1,762 crore although the cost of one lift system goes down

Cement-concrete work in progress at Medigedda Barrage as part of Kaleshwaram Project work in April 2018.

The State Government has revised the estimated cost of Link-I work of Kaleshwaram project, which include construction of barrages at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla, three pump houses along with lift systems and link canals to carry water till Yellampally reservoir, by over ₹1,762.5 crore.

As a result, the estimated cost of Link-I work would go up to ₹15,573.51 crore against ₹13,811 crore, as approved in 2016. The cost has been revised upward in spite of cost of Medigadda-Annaram lift system coming down by about ₹189 crore owing to increase in the extent of civil works.

According to Irrigation Department officials, the cost of Sundilla lift system has gone up due to increase in pump house civil works with the provision of additional five draft tubes and gates for lifting additional one tmc ft of water every day – from two tmc ft to three tmc ft. The cost of the system has been revised to ₹2,348 crore from ₹2,334 crore approved in the past.

Increase in the length of pressure main by 140 metres and increase in the gravity canal length from 150 metres to 960 metres along with supplementary works have also led to increase in the cost. The cost of Annaram lift system has been revised due to provision of four additional draft tubes and gates for lifting additional quantity of one tmc ft of water every day and increase in the length of pressure main from 700 metres to 1,300 metres. After revision, the cost approved for the work is ₹2,279 crore from ₹2,140 crore.

However, the cost of Medigadda lift system has been revised downwards to ₹3,335 crore from ₹3,524 crore approved earlier due to decrease in gravity canal length by about 2.2 km although some components such as pressure main length have been increased by about 275 metres.

The officials stated that the cost of all the three barrages at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla was revised upward, also owing to an increase in the quantity of civil works. The cost of Sundilla barrage has been revised to ₹1,895 crore from ₹1,437 crore as approved in the past.