‘Polavaram works will be expedited’

PNS|Vijayawada

Water Resources Minister Ambati Rambabu has said that the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) will examine the condition of the diaphragm wall in the Polavaram project and then proceed with the work. The Minister inspected the works of the upper and lower cofferdam, diaphragm wall, and Gap-1 in connection with the Polavaram Project along with the officials on Sunday.

Speaking to media persons, Minister Ambati Rambabu said that at present the flood in the Godavari receded and more than 50,000 cusecs of water was released. They are eager to undertake the project work during the current season and the agency is fully prepared. Firstly, the condition of the diaphragm wall should be ascertained and the NHPC, after inspecting the diaphragm wall, will give a report. The work will be carried out as per their instructions.

When the NHPC team came to inspect the diaphragm wall they found that it was completely submerged in water and the water was being pumped out with the help of motors. He said the status of the diaphragm wall will be known soon and a decision will be taken after the report from NHPC. He said that at present the work of lower coffer dam has started and the water collected around the diaphragm wall is being pumped out and the diaphragm wall is being tested. It is decided whether to build a new diaphragm wall or to build an earth cum rock fill dam on the old diaphragm wall. Till then, the construction work of Lower Coffer Dam will be intensified and completed as soon as possible, the minister said.

The Minister said that the present situation arose only because of the previous TDP government’s historical blunder of constructing a diaphragm wall without completing the construction of the coffer dam. The major works in Polavaram are the construction of a spillway and earth-cum-rock fill dam, among which the construction of the spillway has been completed.

The diaphragm wall problem in the construction of the earth-cum-rock fill dam was examined and the problem will be rectified as soon as possible. After overcoming the problems, earth-cum-rock fill dam work will be started with the permission of the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA). The minister said that the construction of the rock fill dam will be taken up this year.

Water Resources Department Superintending Engineer Narasimha Murthy, EE Sudhakar, representatives of MEIL and other officials were present.