VIJAYAWADA: Expressing satisfaction over the progress of diaphragm wall and jet grouting of Polavaram project, which has reached the last phase, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that the contractors -- Keller Construction, Bauer, and L&T Geo will be relieved on June 10 after completing those two works. “Completing the work before the monsoon sets in is crucial, so checking the forecast of rainfall and climate should be a continuous procedure,” he said, while addressing the officials during the 60th review meeting on the progress of Polavaram on Monday.
A gallery walk of about 2 km to be constructed through the dam site is expected to be completed by August. “Once the gallery walk is completed, it represents the significant progress in the project,” Principal Secretary (Water Resources) Shashi Bhushan Kumar explained to the Chief Minister. During the 60th review of the project, the officials told the Chief Minister that the prestigious project had reached an overall progress of 53.5 per cent, including excavation, concrete laying, diaphragm wall, jet grouting, radial gates, connectivities, the Right Main Canal and the Left Main Canal. The Chief Minister, on the occasion, virtually inspected the progress using a live drone feed.
The officials explained that 72.6 per cent of the excavation for the spillway and spill channel was completed, i.e., 817.32 lakh cubic metres of 1,115.59 lakh cubic metres. This week, 5.59 lakh cubic metres of earthwork was excavated for the spill channel, pilot channel, spillway, left bank and approach channel.Concrete laying for the spillway, stilling basin, filling of crevices and spill channel, has witnessed a progress of 21.83 per cent, that is, 29,000 cubic metres have been laid this week, and the cumulative progress achieved is 8.03 lakh cubic metres of 36.79 lakh cubic metres.
They said that the Adavipalli Reservoir was expected to be completed by May 31. Works on the Kuppam Branch Canal will start next week as the contractor has been decided. Officials informed him that the canal would be ready for use by the end of June.
The Chief Minister also asked the officials to complete forest clearances and land acquisition for the Somasila Swarnamukhi and its linked projects, Althurupadu, Mallemadugu and Venugopala Sagar.
He also asked them to extend the Jala Samrakshana Udyamam till the end of June, making it a 139-day programme. About 85 per cent of tank feeder channels and 73 per cent of check dams and restoration of MI tanks have been completed. The CM said that the purpose of the extension was to ensure that all targets could be achieved keeping in view a 13 per cent deficit in rainfall so far.