Completion of Polavaram could take four years, Rs 990 Cr to build parallel diaphragm wall: Chandrababu Naidu

POLAVARAM: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said that the completion of the multipurpose Polavaram irrigation project being built on River Godavari could take at least four seasons.

The Chief Minister who inspected construction works of the Polavaram project here on Monday addressed a press conference and said that the mindless and reckless manner in which the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Government had acted caused irreparable damage to the diaphragm wall, upper and lower coffer dams, gap one and guidance wall.

“According to the engineers, repairs to the diaphragm wall could take Rs 446, and building a parallel wall could cost Rs 990 crore. In addition to the repairs and strengthening of gaps, will cost dearly. The opening in the gap that was left unattended while changing the contractor in reverse tendering caused damage to the diaphragm wall,” he explained.

He said that the project which was to be completed by 2020, inordinately got delayed due to the decisions taken by the YCP Government. “Now the engineers are saying that it will take four seasons to complete the project. The cost could not be estimated like this. It requires a thorough understanding of the problem at hand,” he said.

He added that now that a new Minister had taken over the Jala Shakthi ministry at the Centre it might take some more time to impress upon them for the release of extra funds for strengthening gaps and rebuilding the wall.

Explaining how the seven mandals that the then Central Government handed over to residual AP helped speed up the Polavaram project, Naidu said that once completed the Polavaram water could be used for irrigation in North Andhra, East Godavari, Krishna, and Rayalaseema districts.

“When I was CM we completed 72 percent of the project. A person who was not fit for politics came and became a curse for the state. As a CM I have visited Polavaram 30 times. My mind is on this project. YS Jagan never visited the project nor addressed media here,” he observed.

He recalled that the Centre had told the state not to change the agency and if the agency was changed - there would be no accountability. “You are asking me whether we will change the Contractor. But that is not the solution. We need to complete the project for the benefit of the State. Thousands of crores of public money had been wasted – But action should be taken against the people who caused the damage” Chandrababu said.

Earlier, Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the progress of the Polavaram project. He first visited the exhibition set up by the officials at Spillway Block 26 and enquired about the progress of the work.

He also visited Gap 1 and Gap 2. He enquired about the works being carried out by the engineering officials.

Later, he inspected the ongoing works downstream and upstream of the powerhouse. He spent considerable time at each section and enquired about the progress of the work and the details of the work to be carried out.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Irrigation Minister Dr.Nimmala Ramanaidu, State Ministers Kandula Durgesh, Kolusu Parthasarathy, Vangalapudi Anitha, MLAs Butchaiah Chowdary, Chintamaneni Prabhakar, Chirri Balaraju, Badeti Radhakrishnaiah (Chanti), Chintamaneni Prabhakar, Patasamatla Dharmaraju, Bolisetti Srinivas, District Collector V.V. Prasanna Venkatesh, deputy collector Mary Prashanthi, Joint Collector B. Lavanya Veni, RDO Addaiah and others were present.