VIJAYAWADA: With the fixing of remaining hydraulic cylinders, spillway works of the Polavaram Irrigation Project have been completed, which is an important milestone in its execution. Polavaram Project Chief Engineer B Sudhakar inspected the works. In all, 48 radial gates of the spillway have been installed and 96 hydraulic cylinders align with 24 powerpack sets to lift the gates have been fixed.
According to Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), executing the irrigation project, installation of 10 river sluice gates and 20 hydraulic cylinders, two each for 10 gates, has been completed. Ten powerpack sets that lift the sluice gates have also been fixed. The construction of the fish ladder has already been completed. Further, construction of 140 metre long, 53.32 metre high and 12.5 metre wide Gap-3 concrete dam work has been completed.
At present, works on the 52 metre high spillway guide bund are going on at a brisk pace. Soil excavation to the tune of 64.88 lakh cubic metres in the approach channel has been completed, besides 5.5 lakh cubic metres of soil being excavated in the pilot channel. A 2,480 metre long upper coffer construction at a height of 42.5 metres is underway.
Works on 1,630 metre long lower cofferdam at a height of 30.5 metres is also going on at a brisk pace. Sand filling works at the Gap-2 area of the ECRF dam construction is going on in a speedy manner. While construction of the D-wall in Gap-1 has already been completed, vibro stone column works to strengthen the soil have been completed and deep soil mixing is nearing completion, MEIL said.
According to MEIL, excavation of the hill for the hydro electric project has been completed, besides excavation of 12 its pressure tunnels. Fixing of ferrules in pressure tunnels has commenced. Earth mat concrete works of the hydro electric project have also picked up pace, it said. A Central team will be visiting the Polavaram project on Saturday and Sunday. The team will study and discuss ECRF dam works of the project with engineers. The team, led by Sriram Vedire, advisor to Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will arrive at Rajamahendravaram on Saturday and from there it will go to the Polavaram project site.