Polavaram's lower cofferdam to be completed by July 31: Irrigation officials inform Jagan

Amaravati: Irrigation department officials have told Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy that the lower cofferdam of the Polavaram project would be completed by July 31. The Chief Minister was holding a review meeting on the progress of irrigation projects in the state and directed the officials to follow up with the central government to get the pending bills cleared at the Polavaram project.

During the review meeting, the Chief Minister said every work of the Polavaram project is done after getting approval from the Polavaram Project Authority and the state government has been spending state money with a vision to complete the project soon. He directed the officials to ensure reimbursement of bills.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that the works will be completed uninterrupted irrespective of floods and rains. They said the investigations regarding the damage to the diaphragm wall are completed and they would get clarity on the designs by the end of the month.

Tunnel 2 of Veligonda is likely to be completed by June 2023

The officials briefed the progress of works of Sangam Barrage and said it would be completed on time. They said the works of the Owk tunnel are at a brisk pace and will be completed by August. They said works related to 4.33 KM of Tunnel -1 of the Veligonda project were completed during the previous government which is 2.14 meters per day on average while the current government has completed 2.8 KM of tunnel works till now which is 4.12 meters per day and added that, regarding Tunnel -2 of Veligonda project, it was 1.31 meter per day during the previous government while it was 2.46 meter per day during the current government. They informed the Chief Minister that water will be released from Tunnel 1 in September and works on tunnel -2 will be completed by June 2023 and the Chief Minister said to complete rehabilitation works of the project in the meantime.

The Chief Minister said the state government has been spending Rs 226.71 crore for rehabilitation and resettlement works of the Vamsadhara Project as promised earlier. He has given nod for filling water in Hiramandalam reservoir from Gotta barrage and directed the officials to prepare an action plan in this regard and said to focus on the construction of Neredi barrage. He said to take measures to complete the Gajapatinagar branch canal and Tarakarama Thirtha Sagar projects.

Rayalaseema irrigation projects

Regarding the Rayalaseema Irrigation projects, the Chief Minister said there is water scarcity for drinking and irrigation purposes in the western Kurnool region. He directed the officials to expedite works and complete the projects in that region to check migration. He said to ensure the supply of drinking and irrigation water in Chittoor, Kuppam, and Palamaner constituencies. He called for expediting the work on the Kuppam branch canal.

Other projects

The Chief Minister instructed the officials to review the progress of other projects including the Bhairavanitippa project, Madakasira bypass canal, GNSS Phase-2 (till Koduru), GNSS-HNS lift irrigation scheme, Uttarandhra lift irrigation scheme, Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme, Yerraballi lift irrigation scheme, Rajolibanda diversion scheme, Vedavati Project and Mantralayam lift schemes and complete them on a priority basis.

Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu, Chief Secretary Dr. Sameer Sharma, Water Resources Principal Secretary Sashi Bhushan Kumar, Finance Special Chief Secretary S S Rawat, Water Resources Engineer in Chief C Narayana Reddy, and other officials were present at the meeting.