Medigadda barrage categorised as dam with ‘most serious deficiencies’

HYDERABAD

Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that three dams in the country, including the Medigadda barrage of the Kaleshwaram LI project in Telangana, are those with “most serious deficiencies” and included in Category-I by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).

Category-I indicates the most serious deficiencies and, if left unattended, may lead to their failure, he stated in response to a question raised by two MPs of the Telugu Desam Party. The two other dams are Lower Khajuri dam in Uttar Pradesh and Bokaro barrage in Jharkhand.

The MoS for Jal Shakti further explained that as per the information provided by the NDSA, the post-monsoon inspection reports of 2025 indicate that the three dams were included under Category-I. In addition, 216 dams have been included in Category-II — 69 of them being more than 50 years old.

He stated that of the ₹100 crore allocation for dam rehabilitation and improvement programme (DRIP-II) for 2025-26 to Telangana, no amount was spent as on December 31, 2025.

Category-II indicates major deficiencies requiring prompt remedial measures and Category-II required minor remedial measures which are rectifiable during the year, he explained and said as per the National Register of Specified Dams compiled by NDSA there are 1,681 dams that are over 50 years old in the country.

It was in October 2023, a section of piers of the Medigadda barrage were sunk, damaging the structure badly. Later, the NDSA identified several deficiencies in planning, design, construction and maintenance of the structure by the Irrigation Department of the State.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced in October last that the government would take up rehabilitation work of the Medigadda barrage soon in tune with the recommendations of the NDSA report.