Designs of Polavaram lower cofferdam likely to get CWC nod soon
VIJAYAWADA: The State government is targeting to complete the works related to the cofferdams of the Polavaram project by April next and the Water Resources Department is eagerly waiting for getting approval from CWC for the designs of lower stream cofferdam.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) has recently approved the designs of the upper cofferdam and the department has already begun the excavation works to launch the major works in the next couple of weeks.
For the government to release water to the ayacut through gravity by mid-2019, as promised, the completion of both the cofferdams is essential. The officials said that the construction of the upper and lower cofferdams would take 150 days and 119 days respectively.
“The excavation works for the upper cofferdam has already begun. We are awaiting the approval for the lower cofferdam design. We are pursuing the designs with the CWC and they are expected to be cleared in a week or so. We plan to launch the major works by December second week,” a senior official explained, adding that the cofferdams would be ready in five-six months from the date of launch of the works. So far, 0.69 per cent of the upper cofferdam works have been completed. A total of 77.8 lakh cubic metre quantity of works— of rock, soil, fine filter, coarse filter, rip rap (protection against erosion) — need to be completed before May, 2019. Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd is executing the works of the cofferdams.
The department is prepping for the installation of radial gates from mid-December. Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said that the installation would begin from December 17. “It will be a historic occasion and we invited everybody to partake in the programme,” he said. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is also expected to participate in the ceremony.
‘Centre delaying DPR-2 approval’
Vijayawada: Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao has said the contractor of the Polavaram project set a new record by laying 11,299 cubic metres of concrete work in a single day. He criticised the Centre for not only delaying the approval of the detailed project report-2 (DPR-2) of the project, but also not responding to the letters written by the State government seeking release of funds.
Devineni said the State government was ensuring faster completion of the project despite delay in release of funds from the Centre. “While we are working at a record speed, the Centre has been dilly-dallying with the DPR-2 and funds. The Centre has to reimburse more than `3,200 crore,” he said. He also said a team of officials will go to New Delhi this week once again to pursue the DPR-2’s clearance. The irrigation minister lambasted YSRC chief and Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for pointing fingers at the TDP government regarding water management and challenged him for an open debate on the topic.