After L&T and Medigadda, Afcons Denies Responsibility for Annaram Faults

Hyderabad: After L&T, the contractor for constructing the Medigadda barrage of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (Klis), claimed it was not responsible for the sinking of piers, the lead contractor for building the Annaram barrage, Afcons Infrastructure Limited, followed suit, declaring it was not responsible for problems at the barrage, and squarely blamed the project design.

In a letter to the irrigation department on February 10, Afcons made it clear that there was an urgent need for action for the safety of the barrage. The company made it clear that the washing away of flood dissipation structures downstream of the barrage, as well as the leaks that sprang from under the foundations, were not of its making.

Afcons, in its letter, said, “As the risk has been arrived due to the design deficiency and essential operational pattern of the barrage, Afcons-Vijeta-PES JV shall not be held responsible for any damage in the barrage.”

Previously, L&T also attributed the sinking of Medigadda piers to the construction design and stated it could not be held liable for the damages as its damage liability period ended before the cracks and sinking of the piers.

Afcons, too, completed its two-year defect liability period — a period for rectification of any problem arising at the structure would be the responsibility of the contractor — and it is currently fulfilling its operations and maintenance period of three years, which will end on December 16, 2024.

In a video on the Annaram project posted on YouTube by Afcons, its project manager can be heard saying that due to geological issues, a change in the kind of piles for the foundations was suggested. This change was approved by the irrigation department subsequently.

In its letter, signed by K.N. Mallikharjuna Rao, the Afcons’ project controller for Annaram barrage and the authorised signatory for the company, Afcons sought “immediate action for the safety of the barrage.”

Citing reasons for the problems, the company said because of the designs, there was erosion downstream. This, it said, resulted in “deep scouring holes” just downstream of the barrage’s sill. Due to these holes, there is a possibility of damage to the secant piles, “especially un-reinforced piles resulting in gaps between the piles and the raft (foundation).”

Afcons further said the formation of the gaps “as it causes leakage and piping action.” As a result of these factors, it said “the barrage is at risk and needs immediate action for protection works.”

Just as L&T did, Afcons also urged the irrigation department to provide fresh designs and drawings of protection works and initiate activities on this front. Afcons said permanent protection works were needed to prevent further damage to the barrage structure.

Although the company said it took up grouting to plug previous leakages, it said the barrage needed to be emptied, something that was taken to the notice of the government on December 29, 2023. Subsequently, the barrage was emptied on February 17, after it sprung a huge leak.

The Annaram barrage of the Kaleshwaram project, along with the ones at Sundilla and Medigadda, was built by the then BRS government, which had claimed that the entire project was a modern engineering marvel. Also claiming full credit for “designing” the project was the then chief minister and BRS president, K. Chandrashekar Rao, who also held the irrigation portfolio in his second term when the project was made operational.

Expert views:

“Normally, a project of this magnitude will not take less than five years (to build). Afcons completed 96-97% of work in a record time of 18 months. At every point in time, the government at the higher level, including the (then) chief minister and irrigation minister, cleared all the hurdles and made it a success. Kaleshwaram project is a very important project as far as the Telangana government is concerned, and also the Telangana state, wherein a lot of ambition is there among the people of Telangana.”

-- N. Venkateswarulu, engineer-in-chief, Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, irrigation & command area development, Telangana, till he was sacked by the state government on Feb 7, 2024

“New geological survey threw up another challenge. The ground at the new site had differentiated strata. Investigations found different strata: there was sand, soil, gravel and hard rocks. In these types of (strata) changes, sheet piles are not possible, so changed the design to a secant pile. Subsequently, the client (irrigation department) decided to use secant piling in the cutoff foundation for the first time in the world in the construction of the barrage.

--Sekhar Das, project manager, Afcons Infra, lead contractor for Annaram barrage