VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will lay the foundation stone for the second phase works of 1.5 km-length of flood protection wall on the banks of River Krishna between Kanaka Durga Varadhi and Koti Nagar on Wednesday.
Works in this regard will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 125 crore which was already sanctioned by the government almost a year ago. However, the works didn’t commence immediately due to various reasons including Covid-19 pandemic and delay in rehabilitation of residents. A team of officials from revenue, irrigation and municipal corporation conducted a ground level inspection on Sunday to take stock of the arrangements being made for the inauguration ceremony.
“Over 2,500 families were affected in the previous monsoon due to floods to River Krishna. It has become a herculean task for the administration to shift these families and provide them food and shelter during floods. Once the works of 1.5-km length of flood protection wall are completed, there won’t be any flood problem at Krishna Lanka, Bhupesh Gupta Nagar, Ranigarithota, Balaji Nagar, Dwaraka Nagar, Bhramaramaba Nagar and other habitations alongside the river,” said District Collector A Md Imtiaz.
District tribal welfare officer M Rukmanandaiah said that instructions were given to officials concerned to relocate 22 families whose thatched houses will be demolished to execute the project works. An alternative housing facility was provided to the families at JNNURM Housing Complex at New Rajarajeswaripeta, where amenities were developed recently, he said, adding that the families too expressed interest to shift to the housing complex.