Chandrababu Naidu to Visit Polavaram Soon

The CM occupied his chamber at the AP Secretariat on Thursday, a day after his swearing-in. He would hold a review meeting with the chief secretary and senior officials on the state’s present affairs. Soon after, he will be visiting the Polavaram project to see the actual progress of works and speed up the works.

The water resources authorities are taking up vibro compaction works to strengthen the sand bed where the main dam of the project is to be built. They have also sent core samples of the upstream cofferdam to the lab for testing, following seepage of water when the Godavari River had floods, to find out whether any issues existed about the strength of the cofferdam.

There is also a need to strengthen the clay-bed spread over a stretch of 400 metres similar to the sand bed. Moreover, designs for the clay bed, and diaphragm wall replacing the damaged one and for the earth-cum-rock-fill dam have to be prepared. Water resources authorities have engaged a Sweden-based international agency, AFRY, to prepare the designs.

Once the AFRY submits its design, it will be sent to the central water commission, which will examine designs, rope in experts, and give its approval so that the works on such components can begin.

Meanwhile, as the Godavari flood season begins in July with the onset of southwest monsoon and will continue up to October, there is no chance of taking up groundwork on the Godavari bed now, due to the presence of flood water. The authorities are expecting to get all requisite approvals during this interregnum so that they can resume work from November to June next.

Polavaram project chief engineer in-charge Narasimha Murthy said, “As we are heading for the flood season for Godavari river from July to October, we are trying to get the designs ready for some components of the project. Once they are approved, we can resume the work.”

Moreover, as both the BJP-led NDA government headed by PM Modi, and the AP government headed by Chandrababu Naidu, are now having good relations, funds can come. Naidu made serious efforts in Delhi to get the nod from the central government for the release of around `12,154 crore, to reimburse the amount for the execution of the project, sources said.