KLIS design flaws led to problems: Barrage contractor
Sundilla completed in Dec 2021, launched for use in 2019
Hyderabad: Work on the Sundilla barrage of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) was completed in December 2021. Incidentally, the Sundilla barrage, along with those at Annaram and Medigadda, was inaugurated by then Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on June 21, 2019, and, soon after, was put to use by the then BRS government for storing water and pumping it into the Yellampalli reservoir.
The date of completion of the work at Sundilla was informed on Thursday by Navayuga Engineering Company Limited’s project manager at Sundilla, K. Eashwar Rao, to the Justice PC Ghose-led commission of inquiry investigating the problems at the three barrages.
Navayuga was contracted to build the Sundilla barrage, while Annaram barrage was constructed by Afcons, and the one at Medigadda was built by L&T PES-JV.
With Justice Ghose beginning cross-examination of representatives of the companies contracted to build the barrages, the commission’s probe entered a new phase as problems were reported from the three barrages with the worst coming from Medigadda.
On Thursday, the commission questioned three Navayuga representatives, and during the cross examination, Justice Ghose observed that all three submitted exactly the same affidavit, and pointed out that they were ‘cyclostyled’ copies of just one document.
L&T PES-JV representatives are scheduled to face cross-examination on Friday.
Responding to a question from Justice Ghose, “according to you, when was the work completed, what was the date of completion”, Eshwar Rao replied “December 2021.” To another question, Eshwar Rao said his responsibilities were the rectification of the dislocated CC blocks and controlling of the seepage at the barrage.
Among those questioned on Thursday was Y. Ramesh, a director in Navayuga who reaffirmed the claims in his affidavit that the shooting velocities (speed with which water exits the barrage gates) exceeded the design, and that there was subsurface boiling and displacement of cement concrete blocks at Sundilla.
He said his company undertook repairs thrice at the barrage to rectify the problems and these works included grouting where piping action was found under the foundations.
The worst damage occurred after the 2022 flood, but “everything has been corrected” Ramesh said. He also said issues that arose at Sundilla were all related to the design parameters.
The company also conducted all the tests that were required after the flood to the satisfaction of the concerned authorities. No separate operation and maintenance contract was entered into by the government with the firm after the completion certificate was issued.
“We have requested for clearing of the final bills but they have not been cleared so far,” by the government, Ramesh added.
Chinta Madhav, another project manager of the company who worked at Sundilla, informed the commission that his responsibility was limited to materials procurement for the construction of the barrage.