Rajahmundry: Even as the Centre has set up the Polavaram Project Authority to execute the ambitious irrigation project, its role is confined to monitor the works instead of execution, for want of adequate staff. The Centre has asked the state government to execute the project on its own by engaging contractors with an assurance it would release funds. After successful execution of Pattiseema lift irrigation project on Godavari river to divert its flood water to Krishna delta through Polavaram project’s Right Main Canal within a year, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has advised water resources authorities and the contractors to adopt the same pace of work for Polavaram, so as to complete it by June, 2018.
At present, Transstroy is engaged in carrying out all the earthworks while L&T and Germany based-Baur are involved in major technical works like construction of earth-cum-rock-fill dam. However, following the direction from the Chief Minister to expedite project works, an MNC invo-lved in mining activity globally, Triveni, was rop-ed in for the earthwork. The firm is doubling the number of earth-moving machines, and the quantum of earth to the excavated per day would be two lakh cubic metres, up from the present one lakh cubic metres.
Water resources authorities say that unless the huge amount of rocks and earth located at the project site are cleared, concrete works cannot start. So, clearance of earth and rocks is now on in an expeditious manner. For the concrete work on the spillway, spill channel and other major wo-rks, the government mig-ht engage a Germany-ba-sed company, Putzmei-ster. This work covers 35 lakh cubic metres of concrete works a year.
With regard to execution of works of the ma-jor component of the project — the earth-cum-rock-fill dam, the agencies find only a limited period of time. They can take up such works only when the water level in the river is less, in summer. Germany-based-Baur and other firms do such works. Superintending engineer V.S. Ramesh Babu said, “We have expedited the pace of project works by enhancing the daily quantum of earth and rocks to be lifted and concrete works to be taken up. We are on the job to identify globally reputed agencies to take up works and complete the project as per deadline. We expect that by June, 2018, all major works of the project will be over.”
