Jagan directs officials to complete works on Polavaram project on time

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy, on 29 January, said irrigation projects listed as priority in phase 1 should be completed on scheduled dates and directed the officials to prepare an action plan for phase 2 priority projects focusing on north Andhra projects.

During a review meeting held on irrigation projects at the Camp office here on Friday, the Chief Minister said phase 1 priority projects, including Polavaram Nellore Barrage, Sangam Barrage, Veligonda, Vansadhara, Owk Tunnel, and others should be completed on time. He directed the officials to prepare an action plan for phase 2 priority projects, including the projects related to Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Vishakapatnam districts.

On Friday, the officials told Jagan that spillway road of the Polavaram project will be completed by 10 February while works on spill channel are progressing at a brisk pace. Fitting of radial gates will be over by April and the construction of approach channel will be completed by May, they said. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to appoint a special officer for getting approvals of designs and ensure no delay in import of cylinders.

The officials said works on reach 1 and reach 4 of Upper Coffer dam will be completed by the end of March and that of reach 2 by April and reach 3 by the end of May. They said the works on Coffer dam will be completed by next monsoon. The Chief Minister asked the officials to ensure no one is affected due to the Coffer dam and directed them to expedite rehabilitation programs.

The officials also informed the Chief Minister that the remaining works of the Vamsadhara project will be completed in three packages by July while the pending works of Thotapalli barrage will be completed by 2022 and the Gajapatinagaram branch canal, which will provide water to 15,000 acres, will be completed by June 2022. They said legal problems of Tarakarama Tirthasagar project will be solved soon and the project will be completed by December 2022. Meanwhile, steps are being taken to complete Mahendra Tanaya project by June 2022, the officials said.

They told Jagan that civil works on the Nellore barrage have been completed and the gates will be fixed by 31 March and it will be ready for inauguration by April. Major civil works on Sangam barrage are completed and the materials for the gates have reached the project site, they told the CM. Jagan was informed that the clamping of the gates will start in two weeks and the work will be completed by the end of March and it will be ready for inauguration in April. The presence of loose soil has made Owk tunnel works difficult, the officials said, adding problems were created during the excavation works of another 134-meter tunnel. The officials said they have prepared an action plan to remove the soil and strengthen the tunnel by July.

The officials said that works on tunnel 1 head regulator in Veligonda are completed and tunnel 2 head regulator works will start from 1 April and will be completed in three-and-a-half months. The excavation works of tunnel 1 are completed and lining works are underway and the works of tunnel 2 will be completed by August. They said the Nallamala Sagar reservoir which is a part of the Veligonda project is ready for water storage. The Chief Minister directed the officials to complete R&R works by October and expedite the construction of canals, which are part of the Veligonda project.

The Chief Minister also reviewed the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) related to Rayalaseema drought mitigation project, Palnadu drought mitigation project, Krishna Kolleru salinity mitigation project, and AP State Water Security Development project. The officials briefed the Chief Minister about the steps taken to pool funds for these projects.