Uttam Seeks Weekly Reports on Restoration Work on Kaleshwaram Barrages
Uttam Kumar Reddy also discussed the process of inducting two distinguished Army officers, renowned for their expertise in tunnelling technologies, into the Irrigation Department to oversee tunnel-related and other irrigation works in the state.
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said restoration works at the Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme should proceed on a war-footing in accordance with the Central Water Commission guidelines and called that officials submit weekly progress reports to him on this matter.
Uttam Kumar Reddy, at a meeting with senior irrigation officials, reviewed the findings of the National Dam Safety Authority on the damaged Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages, and directed officials to implement the NDSA’s recommendations without delay. When officials responded that the NDSA itself has offered to work as the design consultant for restoration works, the Minister emphasized the urgency of the situation and sought weekly progress reports.
On the SLBC tunnel project work on which ground to a halt in the inlet section of the tunnel in Nagarkurnool district after the February 22 tunnel collapse, and the yet to start work from the outlet end in Nalgonda district, the minister said cost was not a concern for completing the project, but there must be no compromises whatsoever on quality and speed. He directed officials to deploy the best possible manpower, equipment, infrastructure, and advanced technologies available in the country to complete the tunnel project. Recruit additional manpower if required and review the progress daily, the minister told the officials.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also discussed the process of inducting two distinguished Army officers, renowned for their expertise in tunnelling technologies, into the Irrigation Department to oversee tunnel-related and other irrigation works in the state. The officials, Gen. Harpal Singh, former engineer-in-chief of the Indian Army, has been invited to join the irrigation department as an honorary adviser, while Col. Parikshit Mehra, an internationally acclaimed expert in tunnel technologies and construction, will be joining the department in July.
