Swift Action to Fix Crest Gate at Pampa Sagar Dam

Engineers are working intensely to replace the crest gate of Pampa Sagar dam on Tungabhadra river in Koppal, which was swept away on August 11. Renowned engineer N Kannaiah Naidu has been brought in to oversee the repairs. Efforts are underway to complete the project within 24 to 48 hours.

Engineers are exerting considerable effort to replace the crest gate at Pampa Sagar dam on the Tungabhadra river in Koppal, following its destruction on August 11.

Work commenced on Wednesday night and is anticipated to require another 24 to 48 hours for completion, according to Water Resources department sources.

The Karnataka government has enlisted hydro-mechanical engineer N Kannaiah Naidu from Hyderabad to handle the installation of the dam's 19th gate. Naidu has been working on-site in Koppal for the past three days, actively leading efforts to install a replacement gate.

Naidu explained that the typical lifespan of a crest gate is about 40 years, but the damaged gate had functioned for 70 years before failing.

Following the gate's failure on Sunday night, all the dam's gates were opened, and water was released to prevent structural damage. Efforts included reducing the dam's water holding capacity from 105 TMC to 65 TMC to mitigate stress and expedite repair work.

Downstream districts in Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have been alerted to the situation.

(With inputs from agencies.)