Singur canal lining works: Telangana govt sets June 26 deadline

Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed officials to complete the remaining canal lining works of the Singur project by June 26 and initiate urgent safety measures at the dam after concerns were flagged by national authorities.

Chairing a high-level review meeting at the state Secretariat on Wednesday, the Minister said the safety of the Singur dam was of utmost importance as it supplies drinking water to Hyderabad and supports irrigation in surrounding regions.

He added that he would soon visit the project site to assess the progress of the works.

Underwater inspections and structural assessment

Officials were instructed to conduct sonar surveys and underwater inspections to assess possible structural damage without draining the reservoir. The department was asked to submit a detailed report within three days.

Technical assessments carried out since mid-2025 have reportedly identified cracks in the embankment, erosion along the slopes, damage to revetment structures and issues in the plunge pool area.

The Singur reservoir has a gross storage capacity of 29.91 TMCft and supplies around 7 TMCft of drinking water to Hyderabad annually.

Canal lining works to be expedited

Reviewing the canal lining progress, the minister noted that about 9 km of the 13-km canal stretch has been completed. He directed officials to ensure that the remaining 4 km is finished before the June 26 deadline.

Officials were also instructed to halt high-risk activities and undertake necessary repairs within a single working season to avoid disruption to crops.

DPRs for lift irrigation scheme

Uttam Kumar Reddy asked the department to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the proposed Peddareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme in Andole constituency and submit them to the government soon. The State plans to lay the project’s foundation by Ugadi next month.