Kaleshwaram project first phase completed

Infrastructure giant Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has rewritten the engineering history with its record-breaking performance in executing world's biggest Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme by establishing 11 high capacity pumping stations with a total capacity of 3436 MWs and commencing their operation in shortest possible time.

It could complete the first phase works in a record-breaking 3 years. With the completion of Link-1 and Link-2 works in Kaleshwaram Project, now Telangana Government is able to lift 2 TMCs of water from Godavari River to fulfil the age-old aspirations of water-starved farmers of the State. Completion of Link-1 works enabled to lift the water from Pranahita to Godavari River.

While reverse pumping has enabled to re-direct the flow of Godavari, Lakshmi Pump House has made it possible to re-channel water from Pranahitha River into Godavari River. The determination of Telangana Government to provide irrigation to the hitherto barren lands has been thus practically proved with this marvelous performance by MEIL.

Mr A Janardhan, AGM, Lakshmi Pump House "The first phase of project works has been completely brought into utilisation recently by operating all 11 Machines at Lakshmi (Medigadda) Pumping Station simultaneously. About 4 TMCs of water was lifted from this Pumping Station starting from midnight on 15th February to 18th February. It was an eye feast for all as 11 Pumps continuously operated for 392 hours and released water through 22 delivery pipes that flowed through a canal for a distance of 13 km before reaching Saraswathi Reservoir."

Till now Handri-Neeva project is considered as the biggest lift irrigation project in the world. All the pumping machines of that project were also established by MEIL. That record has now been surpassed with KLIP. Nowhere in the world such a gigantic project been completed in such a short span of time. Out of the total 22 pumping stations in Kaleshwaram Project, MEIL alone has taken up the construction of 17 pumping stations. The mega power infrastructure established for this project is another distinction. A total capacity of 3436 MWs with 59 machines is nowhere visible in the whole world. In Handri-Neeva Project, there are 43 Pumping Stations having 269 machines with a total capacity of 653 MW. That itself was a world record achieved by MEIL for that project. And now it has recreated world record by completing the first phase of Kaleshwaram Project, with nearly 6 times more capacity than Handri-Neeva Project.

Majority of these works are being undertaken by MEIL. Establishing 59 machines in 11 Pumping Stations with a total capacity of 3436 MWs is itself an engineering wonder. In that sense, no project is comparable with this project. So far, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Parvathi and Gayathri Pump Houses of the first phase have been operationalised; 50 TMCs of water has been already lifted and pumped to Mid- Maneru. From Mid- Maneru, water is released into Lower Maneru. While 11 machines are being operated at Lakshmi Pump House a few days back, arrangements are completed for full-scale pumping at Saraswathi and Parvathi Pump Houses. Four machines are already being operated at Saraswathi Pump House.

At the world's largest pumping station Gayathri Pump House, 7 machines are in operation with their full capacity and pumping water to Mid Maneru. The aim of the government in the first phase to lift and pump 2 TMCs of water from Lakshmi (Medigadda) Pump House to Mid Maneru has been achieved. Works related to Package 21, 27, 28 of this project along with establishing machines at Kondapochamma Sagar and Mallanna Sagar Pump Houses are also completed and yet to be operationlised. 11 machines each with a capacity of 40 MWs at Lakshmi Pump House, 8 machines at Saraswathi Pump House and 9 machines at Parvathi Pump House are already in utilisation. Each of these machines has a capacity of 40 MW. The world's largest underground pumping station, Gayatri, constructed 470 feet below the earth, is lifting the water with its machines having a capacity of 943 MW.

While MEIL took the responsibility for civil, electrical and mechanical works, world-famous companies like BHEL, Andriz and Zylum have supplied equipment for pumping machines. Rest of the project works are going on in full swing. At Annapurna and Ranganayaka Sagar pumping stations, works related to 5 machines out of a total of 8 machines have been completed and construction is on for other 3 machines. The required works for transporting water from Mid Maneru to Mallannasagar are also going on in full pace. Water pumping at Kaleshwaram was started in June last year. So far works related to Link-1 and Link-2 with a capacity of 2 TMCs of water per day have been completed.

Mega Electric Supply

Kaleshwaram project requires a total of 4627 MWs of electricity. Out of this, work related to 3057 MWs of the transmission system is completed by MEIL in record-breaking time. Within two years of time, MEIL has established six Electric Sub Stations with 400 KV and 200 KV capacities, apart from laying transmission lines for a distance of 260 Kms. The capacity of this entire system is almost ¼th of the Telangana state electric supply system. While the total capacity of the electric transmission system in the state is 16000 MWs, Kaleshwaram project itself is having a transmission capacity of more than 4900 MWs that indicates the magnitude of this transmission system. Works are going on for Kaleshwaram Project to pump 3 TMCs water per day that requires 7200 MWs of power capacity.

'Gayathri' giving life to Kaleshwaram

MEIL's pumping stations have lifted 44 TMCs of water from Godavari River in very short period. This itself is a record as nowhere in the world such a quantum of water is lifted in such a short span of time. So far, Lakshmi Pump House has lifted 37.16 TMCs of water; Saraswathi Pump House lifted 32 TMCs and it is 30 TMCs at Parvathi Pump House. Relatively Gayathri Pump House has more capacity than the other two Pump Houses as it is reflected in its performance of pumping more water. Flood water reaching from the upper areas into Sripadasagar Reservoir also contributed to that performance. Pumping water from Parvathi to Yellampalli through Link-1 and the natural flood from the Godavari reaching Gayathri has enabled the pump house to pump more water than the other two pump houses.