Andhra Pradesh: Polavaram project sample designs to be examined in Pune on February 18

A team of experts from the Central and State Water Resources Departments has decided to finalize key designs based on the consequences of pumping high pressure water into the Polavaram project spillway. As part of this, a 3-D-acre model at the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune will be examined on the 18th of this month. A team of experts led by former chairman of the Central Water Board (CWC) AB Pandya, DDRP (Dam Design Review Panel), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), State Water Resources Department ENC C. Narayana Reddy and others will travel to Pune. Experiments by a team of CWPRS officials on the model Polavaram project will evaluate their results. Based on these analyses, the Polavaram Reservoir works will be examined at the field level on 19th, 20th and 21st of this month and the pending designs will be finalized and sent to the CWC for approval.

The state government has expedited work towards completing the Polavaram project by 2022. CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the state Water Resources Department officials to approve the pending designs on a war footing to complete the project by the deadline. With that, ENC C. Narayana Reddy asked DDRP to finalize the pending designs expeditiously. The CWC has approved a design to build the Polavaram project so that Godavari can be easily released downstream in the event of a flood of 50 lakh cusecs. A guide wall should be constructed to the excavated approach channel to divert the flood flow over the pipeline. This guider‌ wall‌ design‌ is extremely crucial. So far this design has not been approved by the CWC.

The prototype Polavaram project built on the CWPRS project will analyse how the water calms when water is pumped over the spillway and, based on that, examine the polavaram works at the field level and finalize the Guider Wall design and send it to the CWC. The flood water released from the spillway flows through the spill channel and the pilot channel and joins the Godavari. When flood water joins the river, the effect is on the right bank (Purushothapatnam).

A team of experts will finalize the design for strengthening the Purushothapatnam embankment to withstand the flood calm. In the same manner, 29 pending designs will be finalized and sent to CWC and CWC will formally approve them.