VIJAYAWADA: In what could give some much-needed impetus to Polavaram project works, the Union Water Resources Ministry has given green signal to the spillway and spill channel works of the irrigation project being handed over to Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL). An agreement is expected to be entered within a week, after which the company will begin construction works.
Representatives of Polavaram Project Authority and state Water Resources Department met Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Tuesday to arrive at a consensus over taking the spillway works from Transstroy (India) Ltd and handing it over to NECL. “Finally, after four months of discussions, the Centre has agreed to hand over the spillway and spill channel works of Polavaram to NECL as per old rates. An agreement will be entered under clause 60 (C) of the Engineering, Procurement and Construct contract,” said Secretary of Water Resources to the state Shashi Bhushan Kumar.
He added that the new contractor was being engaged as Transstroy inordinately delayed the execution of the project. He also clarified that NECL would directly enter into a contract with the government . When asked about the quantum of finances, the secretary said, “We are yet to calculate the amount, but as per the recent tenders it is around Rs 1,482 crore.”