Nearly a year after the 19th crest gate of the Tungabhadra Dam near Hosapete in Vijayanagara district was washed away on August 10, 2024, the damaged structure remains unrestored. Though a new 49-tonne gate, assembled at Adavisomapura near Gadag, has finally reached the site, officials state that installation cannot commence before November, as water levels have now touched the bed concrete, making structural operations unfeasible.
As a stopgap measure, a stop-log gate was earlier installed. However, this temporary gate is now leaking, sparking concern as the reservoir holds 44.4 TMC of water, with inflows exceeding 30,000 cusecs in recent days.
Tender Delays and Missed Timelines
A short-term fix turned into a prolonged delay, with the tender process alone taking 10 months. This setback pushed the fabrication and delivery of the gate beyond schedule. The replacement, built by Gujarat-based Hardware Tools and Machinery Projects Pvt. Ltd., was completed at Adavisomapura and arrived at the dam only in late June.
Crafted from Vizag Steel, the gate measures 20 feet in height and 60 feet in width, weighing around 48–49 tonnes. Twenty skilled workers completed its assembly in 15 days. Still, installation has to wait until post-monsoon, possibly in October or November.
Why Work Can’t Begin Yet
According to the Tungabhadra Dam Board, ongoing inflows of over 30,000 cusecs and a full reservoir make structural work unviable. Secretary O R K Reddy stated, “The stop-log gate is expected to hold through the monsoon. Installation of the permanent gate will begin in November.”
Broader Regional Impact
The Tungabhadra Reservoir is vital for irrigation across 13 lakh acres in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. It also supplies water to key towns and industries in Ballari, Koppal, Vijayanagara, and Raichur. With the damaged gate still unrepaired and temporary solutions now faltering, water regulation and irrigation planning are under strain.
CADA Chairman Hasansab Dotihal noted that last year, the gate failure caused a downstream loss of 40 TMC of water before temporary fixes were implemented. A similar failure this season could have serious consequences amid high inflows.
Replacement of All 33 Gates Planned
The damaged 19th gate is one of 33 crest gates at the dam, many over 70 years old. As part of a phased plan, the same company is contracted to replace all gates. Officials say around 10 gates can be replaced each month using two teams — one for dismantling and the other for installation.
With monsoon intensifying and the temporary gate now leaking, experts and locals are raising questions about delayed action and broader lapses in dam maintenance.