Hosapete, 6 June

The farmers of Raichur, Koppal, Vijayanagara, and Hosapete are uncertain whether they can grow crops this season. All thanks to a damaged crest gate No. 19 at Tungabhadra dam, which has not been fixed since 2023.  The gate was partially washed away on 10 August, 2023.

The Karnataka Niravari Nigam Ltd allotted the project of installing all 32 crest gates, including the damaged one, to Hyderabad-based Hardware Tools and Machinery Projects (HTMP) Company.

Gujarat-based Anar and HTMP, and Telangana-based Sapna and Bekam companies participated in the e-tender bid. Thenigam fixed Rs 52 crore as the tender amount, and the HTMP Company was given the work that bid for Rs 41.42 crore. It was to complete the work within 15 months. The project was taken up after experts from Hyderabad-based NDT services had advised the replacement of the crest gates installed in 1953.

The Managing Director (MD) of Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Ltd, Rajesh Aminbavi informed the Central Water Commission (CWC) is responsible for approving gate work and coordinating among the three states – Karnataka, Andra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Tungabhadra reservoir supplies water to nine districts in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana feeding water to about16.5 lakh acres of land.