Experts from US, Canada to inspect Polavaram diaphragm wall damage

Polavaram Project:

• Visit facilitated by Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu after BJP alliance
• Experts include dam safety, hydraulic structures and geotechnical specialists
• Repairs estimated at Rs 447 cr, new wall could cost Rs 1000 cr
• Project aims to irrigate land, generate power and provide drinking water

Vijayawada: International experts have been approached for their periodical guidance for setting right the problem arising out of damage caused due to flooding to the diaphragm wall and expedite the completion of the multi-purpose Polavaram project.

Four experts from the United States and Canada will be arriving in Delhi to interact with the top officials of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Water Commission (CWC) and Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) on June 29. They have agreed to visit the site once every three months. After talks in Delhi, they will proceed to Polavaram dam site.

Leveraging his ties with the NDA Government at the Centre after aligning with the BJP and further strengthening it after the spectacular performance of NDA in Andhra Pradesh in the May 13 general elections, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu after inspecting the project site made a strong plea to the Centre to facilitate the visit of global experts to expedite the construction work, which he alleged was ignored during the erstwhile YSRCP Government.

Naidu had said during their earlier stint they (TDP Government) had spent Rs 446 crore on constructing the diaphragm wall and now due to four breaches caused to the wall on account of mismanagement, an estimated Rs 447 crore was required to repair as against the projected cost of about Rs1,000 crore for constructing a new wall.

Polavaram project is envisaged on the bank of the River Godavari near Ramayampet village in Polavaram mandal of Eluru district. It is located around 35 km from the upstream of Kovvur-Rajahmundry road-cum-rail bridge. The project, considered a lifeline for Andhra Pradesh, has been given national status by the NDA Government as part of a promise made at the time of bifurcation. It aims to irrigate 4.3 lakh hectares and produce 960 MW hydel power. It will supply drinking water to 30 lakh people in 611 villages, divert 80 TMC to Krishna basin and provide a permanent solution to drinking water and industrial requirements of Visakhapatnam and its neighbourhood.

After making an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, the experts will submit a preliminary report to the PPA, an official of Irrigation Department told Bizz Buzz. The experts include David B Paul with 35 years of experience in dam safety and infrastructure management, Richard Donelly with three decades of experience in hydraulic structures and water resources management, Gias Franco DiSisco, an expert in construction, maintenance and structural engineering of large dams and Seas Hinchberger, specialist in geotechnical engineering and irrigation management.

To arrest heavy seepage, some of the experts earlier mooted chemical grouting and installation of physometers to ensure continuous monitoring. Diaphragm wall acts as the cut-off in the riverbed as part of the main dam. The floods in 2020 damaged the wall leading to a political controversy and both YSRCP and TDP blaming each other for utter negligence during their tenure. Besides suggesting whether repair or construction of a new wall as a solution, the experts are expected to review vibro compaction and vibro stone columns.

During his last interaction with Prime Minister Modi as the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, before TDP returned to the NDA, had urged the Centre to release the revised cost of Rs 17,144 crore required for completing the Polavaram project. He had cited that the Ministry of Finance agreed to remove component-wise ceiling and release Rs 12,911 crore for early completion of the first phase of the project.