Telangana CM Seeks Fresh Negotiations with Maharashtra Over Tummidihatti Barrage Height

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has initiated diplomatic overtures with Maharashtra, reaching out to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to open negotiations on the Tummidihatti barrage specifications under the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita–Chevella Sujala Sravanthi Project.

Through his correspondence, Revanth Reddy has urged Maharashtra to establish a timeline for formal discussions with a Telangana delegation that he would personally lead.

The barrage, originally envisioned at 152 metres during initial planning stages, had been downgraded to 148 metres following an Inter-State Board meeting on August 23, 2016, when Maharashtra's government consented to the reduced height while pledging support for obtaining necessary regulatory clearances.

Telangana's decision to revisit the project specifications comes as the state government has prioritised accelerating the Pranahita–Chevella initiative. This reassessment followed extensive consultations between senior officials and water resource specialists, culminating in a conclusion that the existing 148-metre Full Reservoir Level cannot adequately serve the irrigation and potable water demands across North Telangana's landscape.

In his letter, Revanth Reddy emphasised that the affected regions—Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Medak districts—require enhanced water availability, necessitating a reconsideration of the barrage height parameters. He contended that a marginal elevation of the Full Reservoir Level beyond the current 148 metres would result in negligible additional submergence within Maharashtra's territory, while simultaneously enabling Telangana to harness water resources through gravitational channels with improved efficiency.