VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to focus on dam works as well as the rehabilitation and resettlement for the expedited completion of the Polavaram Irrigation Project. He also directed them to take up other irrigation projects on a priority basis.
The Chief Minister took stock of the progress of Polavaram works and other priority irrigation projects at a review meeting held at his camp office at Tadepalli on Tuesday. He asked them to complete the projects in the stipulated time.
Explaining the progress of works on the lower cofferdam and ECRF dam of the Polavaram project, the officials said all designs of the downstream cofferdam were ready and the works would be completed by July 31. The designs of the ECRF dam will be finalised soon. The project-affected families are being shifted on a priority basis and steps were taken to shift first priority families by August.
They said 7,962 of the 20,946 families were already shifted. While 3,228 families have applied for OTS, the remaining 9,756 are yet to be shifted. The Chief Minister directed the officials to rehabilitate those families soon and asked them to provide R&R package through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
The Chief Minister said the works of Owk tunnel-2 should be completed by August. The officials said the excavation works of Tunnel 2 are being done at 400 meter per month at Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project and added that it will be increased to 500 meter per month.
The Chief Minister asked them to take steps to start the supply of water through tunnel -1 from September. The officials said the works of both the tunnels will be completed by 2023 and steps will be taken to give water through both the tunnels. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to invite tenders to supply water to Udayagiri and Badvel areas under Veligonda project. The officials informed that the works of interlinking of Vamsadhara- Nagavali are going on in full swing.
He instructed the officials to prepare plans to lift water at Gotta Barrage on Vamsadhara river for pumping into Hiramandalam Reservoir. He directed the officials to take necessary measures to start works of Neradi barrage on Vamsadhara river and said the project will benefit both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as the neighbouring State can use half of the storage water.
He instructed the officials to complete the works of Thotapalli project at the earliest and expedite the works under Gajapatinagaram Branch Canal. The officials informed us that the works of the Taraka Rama Tirtha Sagar project were almost completed. The Chief Minister asked them to invite tenders for the remaining works and asked them to take steps to settle R&R package in Saripalli village.
Sangam Barrage renaming soon
The Chief Minister instructed the officials to notify Sangam Barrage as Mekapati Goutham Reddy Sangam Barrage. The officials said the works of Nellore Barrage and Sangam Barrage were almost completed and they would be ready for inauguration by May 15.