Polavaram Works Continue Amid Spillway Discharging 5.5L Cusecs Of Water
Water Resources authorities to take up ECRF Gap-2 tasks from November 1
Vijayawada, July 26: Works on the Polavaram irrigation project in Eluru district are continuing even as its spillway is discharging nearly 5.5 lakh cusecs of River Godavari flood water. Tasks on the project are going on with Water Resources authorities using heavy-duty pumps to dewater the main work area. Construction works in the Polavaram project area are expected to continue even though the water discharge is expected to reach 6.5 lakh cusecs by Sunday morning.
With heavy rainfall in Godavari catchment areas upstream, there have been huge inflows in the river over the last few days. In anticipation of such floods in the river beginning from July, Water Resources department made advance arrangements to dewater the main work area using high capacity pumps.
Nearly eight lakh cusecs of water has been discharged from the Polavaram spillway, which was the highest outflow this season so far. Authorities are confident that there will be no impact on the project works even if the discharge goes up to 10 lakh cusecs.
Authorities are taking up earth-cum-rock-fill (ECRF) dam works at Gap-1, apart from the diaphragm wall depending upon the quantum of water discharge and the level of seepage.
With regard to reports of delay in taking up diaphragm wall works, authorities say vehicles transporting rocks from the quarry area to the dam are having a tough time, as the roads have turned slippery due to the rainfall. At times, movement of vehicles has to be stopped altogether for safety. Similarly, Gap-1 and Buttress Dam works are also getting impacted. Authorities, however, say they have almost completed the difficult part of the D-wall work at the deep reach. They are confident of covering up any shortfall in the work.
Further, Water Resources department has started work on the elevated platform. Heavy rains are having an impact on the operation of machinery and transport of concrete for diaphragm wall. Authorities are planning to take up ECRF Gap-2 works on the sideway of diaphragm wall from November 1 simultaneously, so that works on ECRF dam go on as per schedule.
Polavaram project superintendent engineer (SE) R. Ramachandra Rao said, “We expect no trouble in continuing our works of the Polavaram project even if water discharge reaches up to 10 lakh cusecs at spillway. We are confident of overcoming any shortfall in completing D-wall works by the end of December even in case of any issue, as we are taking up ECRF works from November 1. There will be no delay in completing the main dam works,” the project SE asserted.