VIJAYAWADA: With the Polavaram Irrigation Project receiving heavy inflows from upstream areas, the height of the upper cofferdam of the project was raised by one metre.The implementing agency, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL), took up the works to increase the height on July 15 and completed it in 48 hours.
With officials estimating that the project could receive inflows of 26 lakh cusecs to 30 lakh cusecs, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Friday, had approved a proposal to raise the cofferdam's height. The upper cofferdam was built to withstand 28 lakh cusecs of floodwater. In case of heavy inflows, water could overflow the structure.
MEIL Chief General Manager M Muddu Krishna said, "Anticipating more inflows, the government decided to raise the height of the upper cofferdam by one metre."
Irrigation officials said, River Godavari witnessed the worst floods in 1986 with the flood level touching 75.66 ft at Bhadrachalam and Dowleswaram releasing 36 lakh cusecs of water.This year, the flood level in Bhadrachalam crossed 70 feet, the highest in 32 years.