VIJAYAWADA: Crossing yet another milestone, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) completed the laying of the spillway bridge slab on Friday. The agency with support from the water resources department was able to reach the milestone in just about five months despite facing hurdles such as floods and COVID-19 restrictions.
According to information, the company launched the slab works of the 1,128-metre-long bridge in September, 2020. Prior planning helped in enabling working space even during floods. About 5,200 cubic metres of concrete and 700 tonnes of steel were used for the completion of the slab of the spillway bridge. About 2.7 lakh cubic metres of spillway concrete works has been completed so far by MEIL. It has already completed the works related to installation of 192 girders for the spillway pillars, all 52 of which have reached 55 metres level. The installation of hydraulic cylinders, which have been imported from Germany, began earlier this week. So far, 29 radial gates have been fixed and the remaining 19 are expected to be completed by April.
The project officials said that hydraulic technology was being used for the first time in the country to operate the gates of an irrigation project of this magnitude. The hydraulic cylinders will enable in operating (lifting) the radial gates at a speed of half-a-metre per minute. Around 24 power packs are being fixed to the radial gates and the company has recently opened the power pack control room at the project site.
The company, in coordination with the water resources department, has deployed more workforce and heavy machinery and has been working round the clock to wind up majority of the civil works before the next flood season. The government has targeted to complete the construction works and land acquisition and rehabilitation and resettlement (LARR) works by December this year so as to supply water for Kharif-2022.
December target
The government has targeted to complete the works and land acquisition and rehabilitation works by December this year so as to supply water for Kharif-2022.