The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana, one of the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation projects, is built on the river:

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is a multipurpose irrigation project on the Godavari river at Kaleshwaram, in the Jayashankar Bhupalpally district of Telangana, near the confluence of the Godavari and the Pranhita.

Key features:

• It is described as one of the world's largest multi-stage lift irrigation projects.
• Water is lifted in several stages, by about 500 metres in total, using huge pumps, and carried through barrages, reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines and canals.
• Its main barrage is the Medigadda (Lakshmi) Barrage, along with the Annaram and Sundilla barrages.
• It was inaugurated in June 2019.

Aims of the project:

• To provide irrigation to about 18 lakh acres in Telangana and to stabilise irrigation in existing areas.
• To supply drinking water to Hyderabad and many villages.
• To provide water for industries.

Concerns:

Very high cost (more than one lakh crore rupees) and huge electricity requirements for pumping.

In October 2023, some piers of the Medigadda Barrage sank, raising questions about its design and construction. Investigations were ordered.

Kaleshwaram temple:

Kaleshwaram is a pilgrimage centre known for the Kaleshwara Mukteswara Swamy temple, where two Shiva lingas are worshipped on a single pedestal.

Lift irrigation:

• Lift irrigation means lifting water from a lower source, such as a river, to higher land using pumps, instead of relying on gravity alone.
• It is useful in areas where the land is higher than the river.

Other lift irrigation projects:

• The Pattiseema project in Andhra Pradesh, which lifts Godavari water into the Krishna basin.
• The Handri-Neeva and Galeru-Nagari projects in Andhra Pradesh.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Krishna has projects such as Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam.
• ✗The Manjira and Penganga are tributaries of the Godavari, not the main river on which Kaleshwaram is built.