Anantapur: Irrigation department has completed the formalities of inviting tenders for restoration of the Annamayya project across Cheyyeru, a tributary to Pennar River. The project had got washed away one and half year ago in flash floods. The restoration of the medium irrigation project is estimated to cost ₹775.17 crore, as against the previous estimates of ₹468 crore. The project cost has increased following directions of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy that the project be widened to increase its storage capacity. State government has already accorded administrative sanction for the project on November 2. It is targeted to be completed within 24 months.
Kadapa irrigation superintendent engineer K. Sreenivasulu said the reverse tendering documents have been sent for legal review. Tenders will be called for the Annamayya project once its works are legally cleared.
“People of surrounding areas can file their suggestions and objections over the project works by December 21 on websites judge-ipp@ap.gov.in, apjudicialpreview@gmail.com and se_kadapa@yahoo.co.in”, the SE said.
The project had got severely damaged in flash floods that displaced people of 12 villages, who are still struggling to settle in rehabilitation centres.
The medium irrigation project near Badanagadda in Rajampet mandal had been taken up in 1981 and completed in 2001 to irrigate total ayacut of 22,500 acres, 13,000 acres during Kharif and 6,500 acres in Rabi. It was to also meet the drinking water needs of surrounding areas. The project had only a right canal of 23.63 km. Proposals for the left canal have been ignored for the past two decades. Sources said instead of using metal bunds, the diaphragm wall of the revamped Annamayya project will be built with cement to prevent any damage on long-term basis.
