Is the state government  considering changing the place of main barrage to be constructed in Tummiddi Hatti for Pranahitha-Chevella project to Kaleswaram? Though official sources said that no decision was taken in this direction, the government was mulling various options including constructing a barrage at Kaleswaram as a part of changing the present design of Pranahitha-Chevella.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao called on Union water resources minister Uma Bharti in Delhi on Friday and discussed about according national status to Pranahitha-Chevella. However, several issues including Maharashra government’s objections reportedly cropped up during the discussions.

The chief minister wanted Uma Bharti to confer national project status on Pranahitha-Chevella. However, with objections from Maharashtra over submergence of lands in its terrain and pending clearances, the chief minister  reportedly proposed an alternative to Pranahitha-Chevella.

The proposal was to construct a barrage at Kaleswaram instead of Tummiddi Hatti on Maharashtra border. Kaleswaram was in Telangana and submergence problem too would be in Telangana so that the inter-state project disputes could be avoided.

According to sources, after hearing the  proposals, the Union minister reportedly assured KCR that the Centre would confer national project status to anyone of the projects in Telangana.

The chief minister, after returning from Delhi this evening, conducted a review on Pranahitha-Chevella with officials concerned. According to sources, three engineers from Central Water Commission (CWC) too attended the meeting.

They explored various options on how to utilise Godavari waters for Telangana. This includes change of design of Pranahitha-Chevella and also considered another proposal to draw water from Godavari at Kaleswaram. From Kaleswaram, the state government would construct four other medium barrages to supply water.