It was complete dark. One had to drive the vehicle with utmost precaution with headlights on as nothing was visible. Few minutes after coming out of the vehicle, one felt sweating. It was due to moisture in the atmosphere as the Godavari water reached the surge pool.
Right at the end of the tunnel was the surge pool of Ranganaiksagar reservoir. Godavari water from Kaleshwaram via Annapurna reservoir located at the border of Siddipet and Sircilla arrived here travelling for about 20 km — 12 km open canal and eight km tunnel. The surge pool is with a height of 65 metres, width of 110 metres and length of 30 metres.
Water can be pumped here once the water level at Annapurna reservoir stands at 1.75 tmcft.
The authorities are making efforts to fill 1.5 tmcft water into Ranganaiaksagar reservoir, which has a total capacity of 3 tmcft, in a phased manner. The reservoir systems would be tested during pumping.
As much as 2,217.32 acres of land was acquired for construction of the reservoir. Four pumps each with a capacity of 134.5 megawatts were established here.
The project was initiated in 2009 under Pranahita-Chevella project by Y. S. Rajasekhar Reddy with a capacity of 0.75 tmcft at an estimated cost of ₹2,500 crore. Now the project capacity was increased to 3 tmcft and the cost incurred was put at ₹3,800 crore.
Compared with water level at Medigadda where the level is 100 metres, here the water level will be 490 metres, which means the water was lifted to 390 metres.
“The combined Medak district was drought-hit and completely neglected on irrigation front. A large number of farmers committed suicide. Now we are able to provide water to this district and this will transform the face of Siddipet. We are able to construct the project without submergence of any village. Irrigation would be provided for about 1.14 lakh acres from this project,” Finance Minister T. Harish Rao told The Hindu, adding that this was life-time achievement for him.
The authorities are planning to fill all tanks and check dams with Godavari water shortly.