Icchampally Project
Icchampalli Project
The Icchampalli (Inchampalli) Project is a proposed multi-purpose dam on the Godavari River in Telangana, in Karimnagar district, downstream of where the Indravati River joins Godavari. It is a joint project of the governments of Telangana, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.
Key features
- Dam height: about 112.8 meters; length: about 1,278 meters
- Spillways: 57 radial gates
- Reservoir: Icchampalli Reservoir with gross capacity around 10,376 million cubic meters and active storage about 9,950 million cubic meters; surface area about 970 square kilometers
- Hydroelectric component: pumped-storage plant with installed capacity of about 875 MW
Purpose and expected benefits
- Provides hydroelectric power, irrigation water, and flood control
- Could be linked to the Indian Rivers Inter-link scheme to transfer surplus water to the Kaveri basin in the future
- Would support irrigation and water management for the region
Location and impact
- Located downstream of the Indravati confluence in Telangana
- Would submerge about 926 square kilometers across Telangana, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, largely forest land
Status and planning notes
- Proposed, with joint control by Telangana, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh
- No final fixed flood regulation level (FRL); current tentative FRL is about 112.77 meters above sea level
- Some plans consider raising the FRL to 125 meters to achieve about 1,000 tmc of storage, affecting land requirements and rehabilitation
- Alternative sites are discussed, including shifting downstream near Thupaklegudem or using the Kanthanapally barrage as a tail pond, with a future Inchampalli dam possible
Historical and other notes
- The idea dates back to the era of the Nizam of Hyderabad in the 1860s
- Some ideas mention underground coal gasification for any submerged coal deposits, but this remains speculative and not part of the core plan
This version explains the project in simpler terms and highlights the main features, benefits, and planning considerations.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:06 (CET).