Telangana CM KCR inspects Kaleshwaram project, flies over Godavari river

Senior bureaucrats, Ministers and officials from the Irrigation Department accompanied CM KCR in the visit. This is his first visit, after the start of the monsoon season. KCR inspected the river which came alive following incessant rains over the last one week coupled with huge inflows from upstream.

The Chief Minister along with some top officials boarded a helicopter in Hyderabad and reached Medigadda Barrage. Amidst a drizzle, he made an offering to the river Godavari and inspected the increased water levels and other works that are in progress.

KCR later left for Golivada Pump House. After visiting various places, he will reach the temple town of Dharmapuri.

KCR's visit on Tuesday came amid the efforts by the Irrigation Department to bring online various components of the mega project.

Billed as the world's largest lift irrigation project, it is designed to irrigate 45 lakh acres for two crops in a year, meet the drinking water requirements of 70 percent of the state and also cater to the industry's needs and is being considered as life changing mission.

The project is being built at a cost of about Rs 80,499 crore, the project will divert 180 TMC of water to irrigate 7.38 lakh hectares. A total of 37,852 hectares of land that comprises 3,168.13 hectares of forest land, 34,684 hectares of private land with a total submergence area of 18,302 hectares is used for the realization of project. The project will also submerge 174.37 hectares of land in neighboring Maharashtra.