Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday supervised the ceremonial opening of Nagarjuna Sagar’s crest gates, initiating the first floodwater release in July since 2006. The dam, nearing capacity after sustained inflows, discharged over 1.46 lakh cusecs.
Water levels reached 587.20 feet against the full mark of 590. Storage touched 305.62 TMC, just short of the 312.04 TMC maximum. Inflows stood at 2.28 lakh cusecs; outflows hit 1.18 lakh cusecs.
Symbolic Event Marks Irrigation Milestone
Calling the dam a “modern temple of irrigation,” Uttam said it embodied India’s engineering spirit and served millions of farmers. He recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation in 1955, and Indira Gandhi inaugurated the project in 1967.
He also highlighted his own connection to the ayacut region. “As a son of this soil, I’ve seen farmers wait for water at the tail ends,” he said. “Today, I stand here to deliver every drop.”
Nagarjuna Sagar irrigates 22.12 lakh acres 6.30 lakh in Telangana and 4.08 lakh in Andhra Pradesh. The left canal, named after Lal Bahadur Shastri, extends 180.75 km and serves 10.38 lakh acres. Of its main stretch, 101.36 km lie in Telangana.
The right canal, named after Nehru, spans 11.74 lakh acres. Within Telangana, the project benefits 1.46 lakh acres in Nalgonda and 2.30 lakh in Suryapet.
The dam generates 700 MW at its main plant and 60 MW through the left canal, supported by four days of steady 30,000 cusec flow.
Ahead of kharif, the government released 3,000 cusecs from the left canal, supporting early sowing efforts and strengthening Telangana’s irrigation strategy.
As a result, the state achieved 281 LMT in paddy yield across last kharif and rabi the highest in India.
To prevent seepage, the state sanctioned ₹63 crore for canal lining works, expected to finish next year. Uttam stressed that efficient delivery to tail-end lands remained a top priority.
Officials have warned residents in low-lying downstream areas and restricted movement in flood zones. Gate operations will continue based on incoming flow trends.
