Centre approves Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project

In a big shot in the arm for Telangana State, the Centre has given final clearance to the massive Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project, the biggest in the country. 

The project was estimated to cost Rs 80,000 crore, officials said. Another unique feature of the project is the longest tunnel in Asia of 81 kms between Yellampally and Mallannasagar dams.

At a meeting of Central Water Commission on Wednesday all obstacles in the way of the project were cleared as the technical advisory committee of the Water Resources department granted the forest, environmental and all other clearances.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the irrigation Minister T Harish Rao expressed their immense happiness over the development and thanked the water resources Minister Nitin Gadkari.

In a record of sorts the Kaleshwaram project, across river Godavari has secured all the necessary clearances in the shortest period of time. State Government officials said that the project secured the first and second phase forest clearances and crucial Hydrology clerance and now the centre has given the environmental clearance. Officials said that Kaleshwaram was the only project to secure the environmental clearance within a year. Officials said that this will go a long way in the expeditious completion of the project with many unique features. The biggest lift irrigation project in the country envisages to store 148 tmcft of water and utilize 180 tmft of flood water by lifting two tmc ft every day during the 90 flood days. The project will irrigate 18.47 lakh acres of land in the north Telangana districts of Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Warangal, Medak, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy district.