Engineers successfully completed the installation of new crest gates at the Tungabhadra Dam in Munirabad, Koppal district, late Saturday, marking a significant milestone that is expected to greatly enhance the dam's water storage capacity. The reservoir can now irrigate up to 15 lakh acres of farmland.
Project Completion and Timeline
The design and execution of the work have surpassed expectations, with the final stage—installation of the slim plate for the last crest gate—completed as scheduled. Authorities were racing against time to finish before the monsoon season.
ORK Reddy, secretary of the Tungabhadra Board, confirmed that while the core work is finished, minor tasks such as welding and painting remain. "Chain links are expected to arrive by the second week of May. Overall, the dam will be ready for full water storage capacity by the end of May," Reddy said.
Background and Urgency
The upgrade follows an alarming incident on August 10, 2024, when the 19th crest gate was washed away while the dam was at its maximum capacity of 1,633 feet (105.7 tmcft). A stop-log gate was installed within a week to prevent water loss. Experts had warned of potential risks to the 73-year-old structure, prompting authorities to replace all crest gates. However, due to delays last year, storage was restricted to about 80 tmcft during the monsoon, forcing excess water to be released downstream. This limited irrigation to a single crop cycle last year.
Work Phases and Workforce
The current phase of works began with a ceremonial launch on December 5, followed by the removal of old gates and the commencement of installation on December 24. Work initially started with the 18th crest gate. On the final day, around 60 workers were engaged at the site, with a similar workforce regularly employed over the past four months.
Key officials present included superintendent engineer S Narayana Naik, executive engineer N Chandrashekar, SDOs K Gnaneshwar and KK Krishnakumar, and section engineers G Kiran and DK Pampapathi. Kiran expressed confidence that the dam can now safely withstand heavy inflows and retain water at maximum capacity. He noted that the chain link installation would not pose significant challenges.
Impact on Farmers
The completion of work is expected to bring relief to farmers in the region, ensuring better water availability and supporting agricultural activities.
