Naidu for underground pipelines to complete irrigation projects fast

Exhausted with land acquisition issues, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandra Babu Naidu, has proposed laying of Underground Pipelines which are not required any clearances to complete prioritised Irrigation Projects on faster mode. The Chief Minister ideated and suggested a solution to solve the problem of land acquisition and reduce the expenditure on the same. He said that instead of acquiring land, future irrigation projects can be constructed as underground pipelines. Naidu declared more than 20 ongoing irrigation projects as Priority Projects. “These projects must be completed faster, so that we can be prepared to provide for water across the State”, he said at the review meeting held on Monday in the Secretariat. Minister D. Uma Maheswara Rao, Secretary Sashi Bhushan Kumar, CM Addl Secretary Rajamouli, Engineer-in-Chief M. Venkateswara Rao and others participated in the meeting. CM instructed officials to keep a time-bound programme, and release the tenders as soon as possible.

The Polavaram Irrigation Project has reached an overall progress of 53%, officials reported to the Chief Minister during the 52nd review of the project. This includes the head works, the Right Main Canal and the Left Main Canal. The total expenditure incurred up to January 2018 is Rs 13,053.91 crores.

The Chief Minister told the contractors appointed for the Left Main Canal, who have slowed down the progress, that they must present a weekly progress report. “Just like other elements of the project like the spill channel and spillway, each contractor must keep weekly targets and work accordingly”, he said.

Besides the 5 projects (Gorukallu Reservoir, Owk Tunnel, Pulikanuma Lift Irrigation Scheme, Pedapalem LI Scheme and Chinasana LI Scheme), most projects will be ready for inauguration on March 31, 2018. The Chief Minister enquired about the detailed status reports from the Chief Engineers of all the priority projects, and instructed them to maintain a fast and consistent pace of progress.

Some of the prioritised projects are: Godavari Penna River Linking Project – Phase 1; Vaikuntapuram Barrage; Swarnamukhi Somasila Link Canal; Althurupadu Lift and Reservoir; Mallemadugu Reservoir; Sri Balaji Reservoir; Venugopalasagar Reservoir; Veligonda Tunnels 1 and 2; Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme; Paleru Reservoir; Mahendratanaya Reservoir; Tarakarama Thirtha Sagaram Project.

Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi; GNSS Phase II – Kadapa; HNSS – road widening works; Development of tanks in Western Kurnool; Hiramandalam-Sompeta-Ichapuram Canals; Jeedipalli-Bairavanthippa Link Canal.