State agency approves Ambazari lake dam work design

Nagpur: The near 148-year-old and 1,070 metres long embankment of Ambazari lake is still robust, as per a report of the Central Design Organization (CDO). “The embankment includes 930 metre earthen and 140 metre of cement concrete portion at spillover point. The embankments is stabile,” executive engineer (irrigation department) Rajesh Dhumne told TOI.
The CDO has approved irrigation department’s design for strengthening and beautification of the lake after suggesting some modifications, he said and added that this has paved way for the long-pending work.
“The state agency has given its nods after minor changes in our proposal. Now, the design will be submitted to the chief engineer of irrigation department and in the next stage project cost will be estimated,” he said.
If all goes well, the strengthening work will commence early next year, he said. It will be carried out in two phases. First phase will cover strengthening work while beautification if the lake and its surroundings will be taken up in second phase.
Following a PIL and directives by High Court in 2018, the NMC’s lake and river department had approached the irrigation department for the work.
Though department is claiming that the dam is stable, TOI visited the lake’s embankment and found that the platform at the spillover point of the lake and south-west portion is in a deplorable condition. Cracks can be spotted easily.
Senior BJP corporator Dayashankar Tiwari claimed seepage has already started at several places from the concrete wall. “As per the previous plan, a cement concrete wall will be constructed between the Vivekananda Memorial and old wall,” he said.
Steps will be repaired under phase-I strengthening and maintenance of both inner and outer slope of the embankment. Steps leading into the lake will also be strengthened. Work for parking area and three viewer galleries will also be carried out under the first phase.
The second phase will focus on beautification which will include redesigning of areas surrounding the lake. “It may also cover the reconstruction of the bridge near the spillover portion of the lake,” said Dhumne.
The project cost will be shared by MahaMetro and the NMC. To a query, Dhumne said that IIT-Mumbai had conducted a study over construction done by MahaMetro near the dam. Vibration caused by Metro train operations has not done any damage to the lake’s embankment, as per the study.
A senior NMC official said that of the 1,070 metres of embankment, MahaMetro will share cost for work on 340 metres from the point where its pillars were constructed. The rest will be funded by the state government, as per the NMC.
MahaMetro has already deposited Rs1 crore which helped NMC in getting the proposal prepared from the irrigation department.
Tiwari stressed work should start without any further delay and demanded construction of steps in the lake for performing Chhath puja, a festival celebrated by Bihari community.
BOX
Phase-I
Strengthening along with maintenance of both inner and outer slopes
Solidification of steps
Parking area development
Phase-II
Beautification of the lake and its surrounding areas
Three viewers galleries
Redesigning the Nag river bridge near the lake’s spillover point