From collapse to comeback: Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka gets new lease of life
The Tungabhadra Dam in Karnataka has undergone a significant rehabilitation following a crisis in August 2024 when one of its crest gates was washed away. Engineers successfully replaced all 33 crest gates, enhancing the dam's structural safety and extending its operational life by another 50 years. A public meeting is planned to formally dedicate the renovated dam to the farmers who rely on it for irrigation.
- ▪The Tungabhadra Dam is crucial for irrigation in north Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
- ▪Following the failure of Crest Gate No. 19 in 2024, engineers worked to install a temporary stop-log gate within a week to prevent further water loss.
- ▪The complete replacement of all 33 crest gates was finished in 123 days, with a total cost of around ₹51 crore.
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When Crest Gate No. 19 of the Tungabhadra Dam near Hosapete was washed away late on August 10, 2024, it triggered panic among lakhs of farmers dependent on the reservoir for irrigation.The massive reservoir, considered the lifeline of north Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was then brimful with 105.788 tmcft of water at the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 1,633 feet. Within minutes of the chain link snapping, nearly 35,000 cusecs of water began gushing uncontrollably through the damaged bay. Engineers scrambled to open the remaining gates to reduce pressure on the structure even as fears mounted downstream.What began as a terrifying engineering emergency soon evolved into one of the biggest dam rehabilitation exercises undertaken in recent years.
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