HYDERABAD: A Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) report submitted to the state government on Wednesday said that there are serious allegations that Block Nos 6, 7 and 8 were constructed by the sub-contracting agency and not by L&T. The V&E department will get detailed information by verifying the accounts and payment process.
The report said that the engineer-in-chief issued a letter on November 11, 2020, declaring that the defect liability period effects from February 29, 2020, and recommended the release of bank guarantees to the Agency even though the work was pending.
“This is wrong and disciplinary action should be initiated against him,” the report said. Based on this recommendation, the state government on Wednesday removed engineer-in-chief N Venkateshwarlu from service. The barrage was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on June 19, 2019, and since then operation and maintenance have been carried out by neither agency nor department, the report said.
The V&E found that the Irrigation department failed to carry out the work as per the specified sequential manner. It observed as per the measurement books and other connected records pertaining to block-7, that the raft and secant piles were not laid in a specified sequential manner. Many deviation approvals were issued, which were not supported by any inspection notes of higher authorities, the report said.
Causes of failure
The V&E report said that the cofferdams along with sheet piles formed during the construction of the barrage should have been removed to bring the barrage into operation. However, the cofferdams, connected sheet piles and RR pitching were not removed even after five seasons, which might have influenced the natural flow of the river through gross negligence of the agency.
It said that the connection between cutoff walls and raft has to be cast scrupulously as per the approved drawings. After inspection of the site and observing the damages, it was evident that the connection between cutoff walls and raft might have not been cast as per the drawings and primary piles might have been damaged during the casting of secondary secant piles which might have caused undermining. As per the physical cracks observed from pier No 16 to 21 of block-7, there might have been shear failure of the raft due to the escape of raft supporting material, the report said.
It said that as per the recommendations of the 3D Model study, before bringing the barrage into operation, the upstream and downstream overburden was not trimmed to specified levels as per the recommendations of the 3D Model study. Apart from this, no maintenance was carried out on the barrage, it said.
Against the deal
A substantial completion certificate was issued to the agency on September 10, 2019, declaring that the construction was completed in accordance with agreement conditions with quality and safety standards. A completion certificate was issued to the agency on March 15, 2021, though the work was not completed, the V&E observed.
Apart from this, performance securities to the tune of Rs 159.72 crore were released without considering the notices issued by the engineer in-charge. As reported by the engineer-in-chief, Kaleshwaram project, Ramagundam, the defect liability period commenced from February 29, 2020, for releasing the bank guarantees which contradict the completion certificates.
Damaged apron
Project authorities failed to inspect or maintain the CC blocks or launching aprons since the commissioning of the barrage in 2019-20. “This is a significant maintenance issue. CC blocks are dislodged and also damaged the parametric joint of the plinth slab which was noticed in November 2019, making the barrage susceptible to piping and subsequent progressive failure. It implies that the negligence of the dam owners in this regard has made the barrage susceptible to piping and subsequent progressive failure. This is a significant operation and maintenance issue,” the V&E report said.
Revisions and approvals
The V&E report also mentioned the revision of estimates. The total estimated cost of the Kaleshwaram project as per DPR was Rs 80,499.71 crore, which included the Rs 1,853.32 crore for Medigadda barrage works. The L&T-PES JV stood lowest bidder in the tenders. The contract value was Rs 1,849.31 crore, including a tender premium of 2.7% excess over estimated rates stipulating a completion period of 24 months from the date of agreement for the construction of Medigadda barrage.
In March 2016 the government sanctioned Rs 2,591 crore. The government revised the cost in May 2018 for Rs 3,260 crore. Later, the cost was revised to Rs 4,613 crore in September 2021, an excess of 133.67% over contract value, the V&E said.