Repairs to Prakasam Barrage gates taken up

Vijayawada: Repair works to two damaged crest gates of Prakasam Barrage are being taken up as the flood water in Krishna river at the barrage has come down with a discharge of just 1.35 lakh cusecs at 6 pm on Thursday. The counterweights of two crest gates got damaged recently as four sand boats hit the barrage.

Water resources department authorities, under the supervision of government advisor K. Kannaiah Naidu, have engaged a Hyderabad-based firm for the repair works. Repair works to the damaged gates are being done by arranging the new counterweights and replacing the damaged ones.

As other gates, which also suffered a hit, were found to be in working condition, the authorities operated the gates either to lift them up or to close them based on the water level in the river at the barrage. The authorities are focusing more on replacing the counterweights for two gates. Meanwhile, they are getting ready to deal with the stuck-up sand boats as the floodwater in the river receded and unless there is meticulous planning, any move may damage the structure of the barrage.