Chandrababu Naidu to lay stone for a new barrage on Krishna at Vaikunthapuram today

Vijayawada: Foundation stone will be laid for a barrage across River Krishna at Vaikunthapuram in Guntur district on Wednesday. The 3.68-km barrage will be constructed on River Krishna between Vaikunthapuram in Guntur district and Damuluru in Krishna district. 

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will lay foundation stone for the barrage works. The barrage will help store 10 tmcft water, to cater to the future needs of Amaravati capital city. The barrage also will connect Krishna and Guntur districts. 

The State government has finalised the tender to Navayuga Company at Rs 3,278.60 crore. The construction company would complete the barrage in two years.

The State Cabinet approved tender process in the recent meeting after several companies failed to participate in the bidding process. The barrage will be constructed between downstream of Pulichintala Project and upstream of Prakasam Barrage.

The State government has decided to construct the barrage as per recommendations by the irrigation experts to preserve Krishna water which flows into sea from Munneru rivulet which joins the Krishna river near Kanchikacherla in Krishna district. 

Since there are no water reservoirs on Krishna river nearly 20 tmcft water flows into sea every year after rain waters from Khammam district flow into Krishna river through Munneru.

There is no storage point at Prakasam Barrage to save water. Only two tmcft water can be stored at the barrage. In this backdrop, the State government designed the barrage to store Krishna river water by constructing a barrage between Vaikunthapuram and Damuluru.

Moreover, once the barrage is constructed, Amaravati capital city will get abundant drinking water. The capital city also will get new connectivity through Hyderabad national highway towards Damuluru village. The officials of Irrigation Department and Guntur district administration are making arrangements for foundation stone ceremony function.

Krishna Delta Irrigation Department Chief Engineer R Satish Kumar said that the barrage works would be launched on Guntur side. Speaking to The Hans India, he said that some acres of land would be acquired as per the needs on Krishna district side and compensation would be paid to the owners.