Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, a flagship initiative of the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime.
The decision, made after a nearly 10-hour debate in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, follows the tabling of the Justice P.C. Ghose Commission report, which exposed significant flaws in the project’s planning, design, and execution. Reddy emphasized that the involvement of inter-state issues, central agencies, and financial institutions necessitated a CBI inquiry to ensure a thorough investigation into what he called a monumental betrayal of Telangana’s people.
The Kaleshwaram project, a multi-purpose irrigation scheme on the Godavari River in Bhupalpally district, was hailed as an engineering marvel by the BRS but has since become a symbol of alleged corruption. The Justice P.C. Ghose Commission, led by a former Supreme Court judge, submitted its 665-page report on July 31, 2025, detailing negligence, misuse of funds, and procedural lapses in the construction of the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages.
The report holds former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) directly and vicariously accountable, alongside then Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao and other officials, recommending criminal action. Reddy accused the BRS of changing the project’s location from Tummidi Hatti to Medigadda to facilitate “looting” public funds, ignoring expert warnings and inflating costs to over ₹1.27 lakh crore.
Reddy revealed the staggering financial burden, noting that the state has repaid ₹49,835 crore, including ₹29,956 crore in interest, with an additional ₹47,000 crore needed to complete the project. He criticized the BRS for securing loans at exorbitant 11.5% to 12% interest rates, plunging Telangana into a debt trap.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report further corroborated the commission’s findings, attributing the Medigadda barrage’s 2023 collapse to poor planning, flawed design, and inadequate quality control. Reddy highlighted a 2015 letter from then Union Minister Uma Bharti, which approved the original Pranahita-Chevella project at Tummidi Hatti, claiming the BRS’s shift to Medigadda was driven by corrupt motives rather than irrigation needs.
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The Assembly debate was marked by chaos, with BRS members staging a walkout, alleging they were denied sufficient time to respond to the report. The Chief Minister challenged the BRS to specify whether they preferred a CBI, CBCID, or judicial inquiry, asserting that the truth would emerge through the CBI’s investigation. The decision, which surprised even Reddy’s Cabinet colleagues due to its absence from prior discussions, positions Congress as a champion of accountability while escalating political tensions ahead of future elections.
The Kaleshwaram controversy, a major issue in the 2023 Assembly elections, continues to roil Telangana’s political landscape. Reddy’s move to involve the CBI, prompted by the Ghose Commission and NDSA findings, aims to hold those responsible accountable and address the project’s massive financial and structural failures. As the CBI prepares to take over, the probe could reshape public trust and political dynamics in Telangana, with Reddy vowing that no one indicted will be spared.
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