Telangana Delegation Visits Maharashtra to Seek Higher Barrage Level

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy travels to Mumbai to meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday to secure approval for raising the Tummidihatti Barrage height. The meeting aims to increase the Full Reservoir Level from the previously agreed 148 metres to 150 or 152 metres across the Pranahita river.

Delegation Details

Accompanying the Telangana Chief Minister on this trip are Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy along with top irrigation officials and engineers. On the other side, the Maharashtra Chief Minister will be joined by Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and department experts for these discussions.

Project Background

An earlier pact signed in 2016 between former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and Devendra Fadnavis capped the barrage at 148 metres due to Maharashtra's concerns over wildlife sanctuary submergence. The current administration now argues that a 148-metre limit fails to meet water diversion goals, whereas a 150-metre level would submerge under 1,000 acres and a 152-metre level would affect roughly 2,300 acres.

Context

Inter-state river water sharing in India frequently requires clearance from upper riparian states to prevent upstream submergence and protect local ecology. States rely on technical studies from independent bodies like the Central Water and Power Research Station to resolve such boundary disputes through political dialogue.