Stands strong as symbol of Telangana’s Irrigation legacy: Uttam

Metro India News | Hyderabad :

In a moment of pride and relief for Telangana, the 103-year-old Pocharam Project has successfully withstood an unprecedented flood inflow of 1.82 lakh cusecs- more than double its original Maximum Flood Discharge (MFD) capacity of 70,000 cusecs.

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed immense satisfaction at the project’s resilience. “After yesterday’s tense moments, it is a matter of great relief for me and my colleagues in the Irrigation Department to see the project standing strong. This is indeed a proud and emotional moment for all of us,” the Minister said.

Constructed over a century ago during the Nizam’s reign, the Pocharam Project is Telangana’s first major irrigation structure. Built across the Manchippa stream in Pocharam village of Nagireddypet Mandal (then undivided Nizamabad, now Kamareddy district), its foundation was laid in 1917 and completed in 1922 at a cost of ₹27.11 lakh.

Designed with a storage capacity of 2.423 TMC ft, the project today has reduced live capacity of 1.82 TMC ft due to siltation. It serves irrigation and drinking water needs of farmers across Nagireddypet and Ellareddy mandals in Kamareddy district, and parts of Medak district, irrigating nearly 10,500 acres.

The project, constructed in lime mortar, stretches 1.7 km in length, with a 21-foot-high bund across the Manchippa stream. It is supported by 58 km of canals and 73 distributaries, divided into two operational zones (A Zone: 1–48, B Zone: 49–73).

For more than a century, this heritage project has stood as a lifeline for farmers of Kamareddy and Medak. Its latest triumph against nature reiterates its enduring engineering strength and historical significance.