Osmansagar reservoir witnessing constant inflows for first time

Rangareddy: In an unusual development, the Osmansagar reservoir on the city outskirts is receiving more inflows these days compared to the neighbouring Himayatsagar.

Usually the HMWS&SB authorities at the helm of affairs at both the historic reservoirs were seen busy pulling the crest gates up and down more often only at Himayatsagar after receiving heavy inflows from the catchment areas. In a rarest turn of event such inflows were also seen this time at Osmansagar.

Every time, during the rainy season, heavy inflows formed at the catchment areas flowed directly into Himayatsagar. This often led to filling of the lake at the earliest while Osmansagar in the neighbourhood remained stoic and parched. Every time barely 2-4 crest gates were lifted that too at the end of the season when much of the water bodies were found flooding at the catchment route.

Himayatsagar, with a total number of 17 crest gates, often found reaching the full capacity multiple times during the rainy season every year. This prompts officials to lift the gates up and down at every interval. But this was not the case at Osmansagar. It is very rare to witness Osmansagar flooding with fresh inflows.

In a similar unusual event witnessed this season, Osmansagar, with 15 gates, is found flooded with heavy inflows from the catchment areas that prompted officials to lift more gates then Himayatsagar this time. Although the inflows into Osmansagar is quite less compared to Himayatsagar, officials lifted almost all 15 gates of Osmansagar for the first time this season to release water into the Musi river.

The count of gates pulled up recently, since, suggests that more crest gates of Osmansagar were lifted then Himayatsagar, which is very unusual.

On Monday officials at Osmansagar pulled eight gates to release water, while only two gates were lifted at Himayatsagar during the same period due to constant showers for two days. Although four gates were closed the next morning, eight gates were kept open to a height of up to two ft to fill the Musi. However, 10 gates were lifted again on Tuesday night after heavy inflows were reported.

As showers continued since two days, Osmansagar is receiving approximately 700 cusecs of inflows which authorities are releasing the same into the Musi. As per officials, 10 gates remained open at Osmansagar on Tuesday to release excess water, while only three gates were left open at Himayatsagar to release the pressure of inflows. The water level at Osmansagar stands at 1789.20 ft as against the full tank level (FTL) of 1790 ft. At Himayatsagar the capacity touched 1762.45 ft, as against FTL of 1763.50 ft.