Annaram (Saraswati) Barrage, Kaleshwaram Project

The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project lifts Godavari water upstream through three barrages: Medigadda (Lakshmi) at Medigadda village and Annaram (Saraswati) at Annaram, both in Mahadevpur mandal, and Sundilla (Parvati) in Peddapalli district. Water was pumped from the Kannepalli (Lakshmi) pump house upstream of Medigadda. The barrages' foundation was laid on 2 May 2016 and the project opened on 21 June 2019.

In October 2023 a pier of the Medigadda barrage sank during high inflows. The National Dam Safety Authority's final report (April 2025) cited planning, design and construction deficiencies and said Annaram and Sundilla showed similar defects. As of 26 September 2026 the state irrigation minister said rehabilitation works were expected to start from mid-November 2026, aiming for completion before the 2027 monsoon, and that the barrages would be operated only after the works and safety clearances. Whether the pumps should run meanwhile is disputed between the government and the opposition.

Barrages are restricted areas; check locally before visiting.