HYDERABADIrrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the structural failures in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) were the result of poor construction, engineering deviations and an alleged nexus between contractors and the previous BRS government.Addressing reporters in Huzurnagar on Friday, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy cited BRS MLC K. Kavitha’s recent allegation that the party had received ₹1,400 crore from Kaleshwaram contractors, claiming it revealed the inside story behind the project and the reasons for the collapse of the Medigadda Barrage and the problems reported at Annaram and Sundilla barrages.“When the former Chief Minister’s own daughter says ₹1,400 crore was received from Kaleshwaram contractors, the BRS leadership owes an explanation to the people of Telangana,” he said, and alleged that such a deal compromised engineering standards, construction quality and public safety.The Minister claimed that Medigadda’s collapse was not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of structural deficiencies affecting the entire barrage chain. He said the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), after inspecting the project in October 2023 when the BRS government was in power, had identified deficiencies in design, construction, operation and maintenance. According to him, the NDSA advised against storing water in the barrages until detailed testing, redesign and rehabilitation were completed.Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy further alleged that Annaram and Sundilla barrages were constructed nearly five kilometres away from the locations approved in the Detailed Project Report (DPR), describing the deviation as a major engineering lapse. He maintained that such changes should have been supported by extensive geological and geotechnical investigations.Rejecting BRS demands to resume pumping operations immediately, he warned that operating the system without addressing foundation and structural issues could have serious consequences for downstream habitations. He said the government would act only on the recommendations of expert bodies, including the NDSA, IIT Bombay and the Central Water and Power Research Station.The Minister also criticised former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao for claiming he could rectify the project within three months, saying those responsible for planning and executing KLIP should first explain the project’s failures.He alleged that the BRS regime spent nearly ₹1.81 lakh crore on irrigation projects, including Kaleshwaram, leaving Telangana burdened with debt while key structures developed serious defects. Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government would complete scientific investigations, undertake rehabilitation works and resume operations only after obtaining expert safety clearance. Published - July 10, 2026 08:19 pm IST