Workshop on Polavaram focuses on seepage control, design improvements

A four-day workshop involving experts and key stakeholders of the Polavaram Irrigation Project commenced on Wednesday at the project site in Polavaram. The workshop aims to address critical issues related to the project’s construction and provide solutions for ongoing challenges.
The first day of the workshop began with a site visit that lasted until the afternoon, where participants assessed the progress of the project and identified the next set of tasks for construction. This was followed by a series of discussions addressing key concerns, including the seepage issues in both the Upper and Lower Coffer Dams. The experts reviewed the health assessment test reports, which were recommended during their earlier visit to the site.
Over the remaining days of the workshop, the focus will shift to finding ways to control seepage in the Upper CofferDam, as well as refining the diaphragm wall designs. Other major topics of discussion include the schedule for the construction of the main dam, balancing ground improvement works, and the strategy for de-watering during the construction phase.
Narasimha Murthy, Chief Engineer-in-Charge of the Polavaram Project, emphasised the importance of the workshop, saying, “We will have detailed discussions on the designs of various components and the methods to be adopted to implement these designs as per the approved plans.”
The workshop brings together an extensive team of national and international experts. Notable participants include four international experts—Charles Richard Donnelly, Sean Douglas Hinchberger, David Bryan Paul, and Gianfranco Di Cicco. Other attendees included officials from the Central Water Commission (CWC), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS), Water and Power Consultancy Services, and the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Key representatives at the workshop include Vijai Saran, CWC Chief Engineer (Designs, NW & S), Rakesh Toteja, CWC Director, EMB (NW&S), Dr. R. Chitra, Director of CSMRS, Dr. Manish Gupta, Scientist-E at CSMRS, Atul Jain, CEO of PPA, M. Raghuram, Member Secretary of PPA, and Sai Prasad, Special Chief Secretary, WRD, among others.