Hyderabad: Transstroy, the main contractor for the Polavaram dam, has stated that it can complete all the works only by December 2020 or March 2021. It asked the three-member expert committee to consider its demand on cost escalation. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari wanted to complete the works partially in 2018 and fully by 2019.
The three-member expert committee, constituted by the Centre and state governments to study the Polavaram project, had been holding meetings for the last three days in Vijayawada and has also met the representatives of Transstroy.
In its presentation, Transstroy said that the work on the integrated coffer dams cannot be started as their designs are pending with the employer (Polavaram project authority). Earth-cum-rock fill dam cannot be started without the construction of coffer dams. As on date, 73 per cent of work remains to be completed.
It also stated that keeping the sequential completion of different components of the project in view, it is possible to achieve completion of the project by June 2020. It asked the concerned authorities to approve the designs at the earliest.
It further noted, “The stipulated date of completion as per our contract is February 28, 2018. However, it cited a 40-month delay in handing over the land. It said time extension requested is 32 months. As the coffer dams can start only after completion of concrete and gate works (spill way) and also cannot be started during the floods, the work of coffer dam can be started in Oct/Nov-2019 and completed by May/ June 2020. Earth-cum-rock fill dam can be started in parallel to the construction of the coffer dams and can be completed by December 2020/March 2021.
The company further said, “If our cost acceleration and other claims are considered for compensation, we can complete the project during the same period as presently envisaged by the department in the tender notification.”
