SRLIP works going on at brisk pace: Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar

Khammam: Sri Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project works are going on at a brisk pace, informed Minister for Transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar while speaking with The Hans India here on Monday.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is taking the project very prestigiously and monitoring the works day-by-day and the Chief Minister would dedicate the project to farmers very soon, he noted.

The irrigation department officials are planning to complete the project works by next March, which is being constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 14,000 crore in Aswapuram mandal in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.

The project would provide irrigation water to about 4.24 lakh new ayacut and stabilise as many as 2.50 lakh existing ayacut in Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem and part of Mahabubabad district, Ajay Kumar informed.

"Out of the 16 packages, eight packages worth Rs 4,500 crore are underway and tenders have been invited for the remaining eight packages. 60 per cent works of four pump houses were completed while 60 per cent of canal works, lining works and structural works completed. Though there is a slight delay due to water stagnation in canals and Covid-19, steps are being taken to speed up the works. Land acquisition process was completed in six packages," he stated.

Ajay Kumar informed that it was planned to construct Sitamma Sagar barrage at Dummugudem and land acquisition process has been started. About 70 TMC water would be lifted from Godavari River for 90 days with the help of the barrage, the Minister explained. Construction of eight-kilometre-long canal in third package was finished and this canal covers Kinnerasani River and Murredu stream, which is a crucial package in the project,' he said. Rs 500 crore was spent for the construction of third package, he added.