VIJAYAWADA: Works of the lift irrigation scheme on Vamsadhara river near Gotta barrage are likely to start in the third week of December this year and are expected to be completed by August-September 2023.
After completion of the project, which is linked to Hiramandalam project, irrigation water will be provided to stabilize 2.10 lakh acre of ayacut, spread across six of eight Assembly constituencies in Srikakulam. It will also provide drinking water for people in 1,500 villages including Uddanam region.
The project is expected to usher in agricultural growth by improving irrigation in Srikakulam. The contract for lift irrigation scheme, which will be constructed at the cost of Rs 135 crore has been awarded to Raghava Constructions, Khammam based company in Telangana state.
CM YS Jagan, during his visit in Srikakulam district in July, gave the nod to the scheme. The process of tendering was taken up in expeditious manner. Vamsadhara Superintending Engineer Dola Tirumala Rao said that the scheme will be constructed on 2 km widened canal from Gotta Barrage.
A 600-metre pipeline will be laid to take water to Hiramandalam Reservoir, which has a storage capacity of 19 tmc. At present, there is only 2.5 tmc of dead storage and another 5 tmc of natural flow from catchment areas in Hiramandalam project. Also, 93 %of works of the project have been completed and rest are expected to be complete soon.