Andhra Pradesh: PPA intensifies efforts for approval of pending designs of Polavaram head works

Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), Water Resources Department officials have paid special attention to complete the Polavaram project by the deadline and making efforts to expedite the approval of 30 pending designs for the construction of the reservoir from the CWC. The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune is studying the design of a guide bund to be built on the left bank of an approach channel dug in the river to divert flood water over the spillway. Polavaram project is being constructed on a 3D model in an acre area and studying the design. A team of PPA officials is going to Pune on Monday to look into the study and send the design to the CWC.

The DDRP (Dam Design Review Panel) will hold a meeting at the Polavaram project and the contractor (agency), the State Water Resources Department, will approve the designs pending with the CWPRS and send them to the CWC. The government aims to complete the project within the stipulated deadline by approving the pending designs by February. It is learned that CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who inspected the works of the Polavaram project at the field level on December 14, directed the authorities to approve the pending designs by February and complete the project strategically by 2022 kharif.

On the other hand, as flooding to Godavari river starts from the second week of June, it is decided that the spillway, spill channel, upper and lower cofferdams should be completed to enable the ECRF (Earth Come Rock Fill Dam) work be completed on time by diverting the Godavari flood over the spillway. In this context, the PPA and Water Resources Department officials focused on approving the pending designs for the spillway, spill channel and cofferdam on a war footing. Based on the CWPRS study on key designs of the project, changes and additions will be made to those designs and sent to the DDRP set up by the centre headed by CWC Retired Chairman AB Pandya. The CWC approves designs that are approved by DDRP. Authorities are working to get the 30 designs still pending for the reservoir works approved in a similar manner.