Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme

The Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) is an interstate irrigation project constructed across the Tungabhadra River near Rajolibanda village, Manvi taluk, Raichur district, Karnataka. The project is situated approximately 120–128 km downstream of the Tungabhadra Dam, depending on the measurement and reference point used. It consists of an ogee-shaped masonry anicut and a left-bank main canal designed to divert river water to drought-prone agricultural areas. Official records give the anicut length as approximately 819.9–820.12 metres and the main canal length as 143 km.

The canal's design discharge is listed as 850 cusecs by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), while the Tungabhadra Board's published canal details give 840 cusecs. These are published design figures, not measurements of current flow. A Karnataka legislative document has also reported a design discharge of approximately 771 cusecs at the downstream state boundary.

The project command includes approximately 87,500 acres in Telangana and around 5,900 acres in Karnataka. Historical project records also identify a smaller command of approximately 870 acres in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh. The KRMB describes the project as benefiting 15 villages in Manvi taluk of Karnataka, 8 villages in the former Gadwal taluk, 67 villages in the former Alampur taluk of Mahbubnagar district, and 4 villages in Kurnool district.

The Telangana command is now primarily associated with Jogulamba Gadwal district. The canal serves areas in the Aiza, Leeja, Waddepally, Manopad, Itikyal and Alampur mandals. The headworks themselves are in Karnataka, and the anicut extends towards the Kurnool side of the Karnataka–Andhra Pradesh boundary. The project is therefore best understood as an interstate irrigation system whose canal command and water-sharing arrangements involve all three states.

The historical basis of the scheme goes back to the June 1944 agreement between the erstwhile Hyderabad State and Madras Presidency. The agreement concerned the partial utilisation of Tungabhadra waters from the proposed reservoir at Mallapuram. It provided for equal utilisation of the agreed reservoir waters by Hyderabad and Madras and included assistance to the proposed Rajolibanda canal and the Kurnool–Cuddapah Canal.

The RDS was conceived during the rule of the last Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, as part of efforts to expand irrigation in drought-prone areas of the Hyderabad State. The scheme was sanctioned during the Nizam's administration. Construction of the anicut began in 1946 and was completed in 1958, according to the KRMB and Tungabhadra Board.

Historical clarification: It is inaccurate to describe the entire construction period as having taken place under Nizam's rule. Hyderabad State was integrated into the Indian Union in 1948, and the later construction phase continued under subsequent administrative arrangements. The scheme was completed in 1958, after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and the reorganisation of states.

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I (KWDT-I), commonly known as the Bachawat Tribunal, recognised a total utilisation of 17.10 TMC for the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme. The allocation was divided between Karnataka and the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh as follows:

• Karnataka: 1.20 TMC.
• Erstwhile Andhra Pradesh: 15.90 TMC.

The 17.10 TMC allocation is also described in project records as comprising 10.10 TMC of river flow and 7.00 TMC of assistance from the Tungabhadra Project reservoir. The Karnataka share comprised 0.71 TMC from river flow and 0.49 TMC from reservoir assistance. The erstwhile Andhra Pradesh share comprised 9.39 TMC from river flow and 6.51 TMC from reservoir assistance.

Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the Telangana government has asserted its entitlement to 15.90 TMC for the RDS command. The KRMB's project description lists 15.9 TMC as Telangana utilisation. Historical project documents also identify a small command in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, so the original project arrangements and the present-day administrative distribution should not be treated as identical.

The sanctioned allocation represents the project's recognised water entitlement and is not a guarantee that the full quantity will be available every year. Actual utilisation depends on river flows, reservoir releases, operating conditions, canal capacity and interstate water management.

The RDS has been at the centre of long-running water-sharing and infrastructure disputes involving Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The principal concern raised by Telangana is that its 15.90 TMC allocation has not been consistently realised at the canal head and across the downstream command.

Telangana government statements and media reports have cited actual utilisation or realisation of approximately 5–6 TMC in recent years against the 15.90 TMC entitlement. In June 2026, the Telangana Chief Minister referred to the state's reported receipt of only 5–6 TMC from the Tungabhadra system. This is a reported state assessment and should not be interpreted as a verified annual average for every year.

Telangana irrigation officials and project representatives have identified several factors affecting water diversion and delivery:

• Insufficient pondage and driving head: Concerns have been raised about maintaining adequate water levels at the anicut to feed the canal at its intended discharge.
• Silt accumulation: Heavy silt deposition in the river and canal approach areas has been identified as an impediment to water diversion.
• Structural and repair requirements: Flood-related damage, maintenance issues and the condition of the anicut have been raised in government reviews.
• Canal maintenance: Incomplete modernisation and the absence of adequate canal improvements have been cited as factors affecting water delivery.
• River sluices and water regulation: Telangana officials have raised concerns about the operation of sluices and the ability to maintain the required pondage and regulated releases.

Some earlier reports have cited approximately 400 cusecs at the downstream state boundary against an intended delivery of approximately 770–771 cusecs. These figures should be attributed to the reported assessments rather than presented as current measured flows.

Telangana has also alleged that Karnataka has drawn more water than its allocated share in the upstream canal stretch and irrigated an area exceeding its recognised ayacut. It has further alleged that Andhra Pradesh has raised objections to anicut modernisation and that downstream diversion arrangements connected with the Kurnool–Cuddapah Canal have affected RDS interests. These are government positions and reported allegations; they should not be presented as independently adjudicated findings.

Modernisation of the RDS anicut and canal has been discussed for many years. The earlier united Andhra Pradesh government proposed modernisation works in 2005, and funds were deposited with Karnataka for implementation. Telangana has subsequently pursued completion of the pending works and raised concerns about the condition of the anicut and inadequate water diversion.

In June 2026, the Telangana government stated that it had deposited approximately ₹59 crore towards modernisation. Officials informed the Chief Minister that Packages 3 and 4 had been completed, while Packages 1 and 2 had not commenced. The pending packages include important anicut-related and associated works.

The June 2026 government review also highlighted heavy silt accumulation affecting water diversion on the Telangana side. An expert committee had recommended desilting in 2004, but the recommendations were reported as not having been implemented. The Chief Minister directed officials to compare the earlier recommendations with present ground conditions and seek Karnataka's cooperation for the necessary work.

On 16 June 2026, a team of engineers from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) inspected the RDS anicut in Karnataka and held discussions with officials from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The review covered water releases, pending repairs, canal maintenance, alleged unauthorised diversion and proposals for improving the project's infrastructure. The possibility of bringing the scheme under the Tungabhadra Board was also discussed.

In June 2026, Telangana also requested stronger coordination among the three states and the Union government through the Tungabhadra Board and Central Water Commission. The anicut's structural condition and the need for safety-related works were raised in the government review.

Jurisdictional clarification: The RDS headworks have historically presented an administrative issue because the anicut lies on the Karnataka–Andhra Pradesh boundary, while the main Telangana command lies downstream. Telangana had previously asked for the scheme to be brought under KRMB jurisdiction. The June 2026 developments included discussions on the Tungabhadra Board's role. An inspection or proposal does not by itself establish that jurisdiction has formally changed.

Current-status caution: The above reflects developments reported up to June 2026. Completion of the pending packages, implementation of desilting recommendations and the final administrative arrangement should be confirmed with the KRMB, Tungabhadra Board and the respective irrigation departments before relying on a later status.

The RDS headworks are located near Rajolibanda village in Raichur district, Karnataka. The anicut is an operating irrigation installation rather than a formal tourist attraction. The site has engineering and historical significance, but visitor facilities and public access should not be assumed.

The canal command extends into Jogulamba Gadwal district, making the project relevant to the wider Gadwal–Alampur region. A visit to Gadwal, Alampur or the surrounding canal command area can provide geographical context for understanding the scheme, although these locations are not substitutes for access to the anicut itself.

• By air: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, is a major airport option for travel to the wider region. Road distance and journey time depend on the chosen destination.
• By rail: Raichur, Gadwal and Manopad are railway options for different parts of the wider project area. Choose the station according to whether the intended destination is the Karnataka headworks or the Telangana canal command. Confirm current train services.
• By road: The wider project area can be approached through Raichur, Gadwal and the surrounding villages. The route to the actual headworks should be checked locally before travel.
• Best season: October–February is generally more comfortable for regional travel, subject to local weather and river conditions.

Access caution: Do not assume public access to the anicut, canal head, sluices or control structures. Obtain permission from the relevant Karnataka irrigation authorities and confirm local security and access arrangements before travelling.

The RDS canal command is associated with the agricultural landscape of the former Gadwal and Alampur talukas. The following heritage and cultural attractions can be combined with a wider visit to Jogulamba Gadwal district. These sites are not all located immediately beside the canal, so check road distances, access and local timings before planning a route.

Note on sites outside the district: The RDS headworks are in Raichur district, Karnataka. Srisailam is in Andhra Pradesh, while Somasila and the Amrabad Tiger Reserve are in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana. These places are administratively separate from Jogulamba Gadwal district and should not be presented as nearby district attractions.

Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (headworks): near Rajolibanda village, Manvi taluk, Raichur district, Karnataka. The anicut extends towards the Kurnool side of the Karnataka–Andhra Pradesh boundary.

The map indicates the scheme area near Rajolibanda in Raichur district. The anicut and canal head are operating irrigation infrastructure. Do not assume public access; confirm permissions and local access arrangements with the relevant irrigation authorities.

The Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme is an important interstate irrigation project in the Tungabhadra basin, rooted in the June 1944 Hyderabad–Madras agreement and completed in 1958. Its approximately 820-metre anicut and 143 km left-bank canal were designed to divert water to drought-prone agricultural areas of Karnataka and the former Gadwal–Alampur region, now primarily in Jogulamba Gadwal district, Telangana, as well as a smaller area in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.

The KWDT-I allocation of 17.10 TMC recognised 1.20 TMC for Karnataka and 15.90 TMC for the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Telangana continues to assert its 15.90 TMC entitlement for the RDS command, but has reported substantially lower water realisation. The issues include river-flow conditions, silt accumulation, structural maintenance, canal modernisation and interstate coordination.

The June 2026 developments, including the KRMB inspection, the reported completion of Packages 3 and 4, pending Packages 1 and 2, and renewed attention to desilting and structural safety, demonstrate that important aspects of the scheme remain unresolved.

For visitors, the RDS is not a conventional tourist attraction. Its headworks are in Karnataka and form part of operating irrigation infrastructure. Its significance lies primarily in irrigation history, engineering, water allocation and the agricultural landscape of Jogulamba Gadwal district. For researchers and policy readers, it provides an example of the continuing challenges involved in managing a shared river and an irrigation system across changing state boundaries.