Anantapur: Officials have replaced the temporary gate number 19 of the Tungabhadra dam with a locking system and the new gate is currently being manufactured by a company affiliated to Hospet. The new, approximately 40-ton gate is planned to be installed by August 16 in order to avoid water loss. Ratnagar, Deccan Chronicle chief engineer and irrigation expert, should conduct an ultrasonic survey to assess the life of the sluice gate and ensure its future safety. Now the dam is 71 years old, the lifespan of such gates is about 45 years. Despite this, the gate worked reliably for a long time.
Currently, 8 locks release 100,000 cubic feet of water per second, including 35,000 cubic feet per second from Lock 19. The temporary gates will be manufactured by a local industrial company in the Hospet industrial area. Tungabhadra Dam Secretary O.R. Reddy said efforts are being made to complete the installation by August 16 and all teams are working hard to manage the water flow effectively.
Authorities have issued an alert in low-lying areas along the Tungabhadra river, including parts of Kambali, Raichur and Kurnool districts in Hampi, Vijayanagar district. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. With more than 60 feet of water expected to be released from the reservoir, Sivakumar advised farmers to be patient about water availability in the upcoming Rabi season. Despite these problems, those responsible for the Tungabhadra dam are confident that they can reduce the water loss.
