Tungabhadra Project Gates To Be Inaugurated Today By Andhra, Karnataka And Telangana CMs

In a major display of inter-state cooperation and cooperative federalism, the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana will jointly inaugurate the upgraded spillway gates of the Tungabhadra Project today , marking the completion of a key infrastructure restoration work on one of South India’s most important river systems.

The project will be jointly inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Union Minister C R Patil is also expected to attend the ceremony.

Officials said the Tungabhadra Project is an inter-state river system built on the Tungabhadra River, which flows through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and benefits Telangana as part of the larger basin network. Since the project supports shared irrigation, drinking water supply and flood management , its maintenance and upgrades require coordination between the basin states.

The recent work involved the installation of 33 new spillway gates at a cost of around ₹51 crore , aimed at strengthening the dam’s safety and improving water regulation capacity. The renovation became necessary after one of the gates was washed away during heavy floods in August 2024 , raising concerns over structural stability.

Following the incident, the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) recommended a complete replacement of all spillway gates. Acting on this, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka carried out the restoration work in a coordinated and time-bound manner.

The project plays a crucial role in regional agriculture, providing irrigation to lakhs of acres of farmland , including major command areas in Kurnool, Kadapa and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh, besides benefiting regions in Karnataka and Telangana. It also supplies drinking water to hundreds of villages across the basin.

Officials highlighted that joint participation by the three states reflects the importance of shared river governance , especially for critical infrastructure that impacts multiple regions. It also underscores efforts to reduce inter-state tensions and promote collective water security management .

After the inauguration, the leaders also participated in a public meeting at Hospet , where they emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation in managing river resources and ensuring long-term safety of the dam system.