The Medigadda Barrage is a crucial part of the Kaleswaram project. Back in August 2016, the Telangana government assigned the construction of the Medigadda Barrage to a contractor for Rs 1849.31 crores. Originally, the agreement stated that the barrage should be finished within 24 months.
However, due to changes in the project, the construction cost rose to Rs 4321.44 crores. This means that the cost increased by Rs 2472.13 crores because of adjustments made during the work. Essentially, the government ended up with an additional burden of Rs 2472 crores due to these changes in the middle of the construction.
Medigadda Suffered Damage in 2019 itself
As part of the Kaleshwaram three barrages were built at Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla between August 2016 and June 2019. The designs for these barrages were approved by the Chief Engineer of the Central Designs Organisation in Irrigation & CAD Department. The barrages were specifically designed to handle maximum flood discharges of 80,000 cumecs, 65,000 cumecs, and 57,000 cumecs respectively.
In November 2019, due to heavy rains in the upper catchment of Godavari river, Kaleshwaram project received huge floodwater. To manage the over flow gates were opened to release water downstream.
However, when the gates were closed afterward, it was discovered that the concrete covering, parts of the curtain walls, and blocks constructed on the downstream side were washed away. This led to a significant loss of ₹180.39 crore, which was the amount spent on these construction efforts.
In November 2019, they discovered problems with the downstream part of the barrage. The cement-concrete blocks were washed away, and the protective coating started to wear off right after the first flood season. The launching aprons were displaced, and the plinth slab was damaged. This made the barrage prone to piping, leading to a gradual and worsening failure. They found that these issues were caused by mistakes in the design during construction.
The department’s study revealed that the structures were swept away by the flood surge because they weren’t constructed to handle such force. The department approached the construction agencies to fix the damage, but the agencies declined, insisting they followed the approved designs and received quality certificates. After further observations, the department estimated a cost of Rs 476.03 crores for the restoration.
The contract agreement mentioned that the rates paid to the contractor included the cost of construction materials. However, the contractor had to pay royalty charges for these materials, and the Department agreed to reimburse this amount. In March 2020, the Department refunded ₹73.23 crores to the contractor.
As per the Government of India’s guidelines, annual costs for projects should include maintenance expenses for headworks at one percent of their cost. Unfortunately, the Department didn’t account for this, leading to underestimated annual costs. Considering the initial agreements for the three barrages at Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla, totaling ₹4,550.40 crores, the maintenance cost for headworks should be ₹45.50 crores.
The Department officials overlooked both constructive advice and critical reports throughout this extensive project. Surprisingly, the barrage was never emptied, a necessary step to assess flood impact near the structure in the water holding area. This neglect persisted maintenance even after the inauguration in June 2019 until some of the pillars in the Medigadda barrage literally sank in October 2023. Despite their persistent reminders about damages observed after the first flood season, they have yet to receive any response.
