Complete priority projects, says Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the water resources officials to complete the projects listed in first phase of priority projects as per the stipulated schedule and prepare an action plan for executing those listed in the second phase with special focus on north Andhra Pradesh projects. He has also emphasised the need for expedition of rehabilitation and resettlement (R &R) of Polavaram project displaced families alongside the civil works.

In a review meeting held at his camp office in Tadepalli on Friday, the Chief Minister took stock of progress of various prioritised projects including Polavaram Irrigation Project, Nellore Barrage, Sangam Barrage, Veligonda, Owk tunnel, Vamsadhara and others. 

He directed the officials to prepare an action plan for phase 2 priority projects including the projects related to Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to appoint a special officer for getting approvals of pending Polavaram designs. The officials informed him that works of reach 1 and reach 4 of upstream cofferdam will be completed by March-end, that of reach 2 by April, that of reach 3 by May. 

They said the works of cofferdam will be completed by the next rainy season. The spillway road of Polavaram project will be completed by February 10 and the spill channel works were apace. Fitting of radial gates will be over by April and the construction of approach channel will be completed by May, they said. On the occasion, the Chief Minister directed them to keep in mind the inundation that happened in the past due to the cofferdams and asked them to complete R&R works. 

Regarding Vamsadhara project, the officials added that the pending works will be completed in three packages by July including those related to Vamsadhara-Nagavali link. The pending works of Thotapalli barrage will be completed by 2022 and the works of Gajapatinagaram branch canal to provide water to 15,000 acres will be completed by June, 2022. They explained legal problems of Tarakarama Tirthasagar project will be resolved soon and that the aim was to complete the project by December, 2022. They added that steps were being taken to complete Mahendra Tanaya project by June, 2022. The officials apprised Jagan that the civil works of Nellore barrage were completed and fixation of gates would be concluded by March 31 for inauguration in April. 

Majority of the civil works related to Sangam barrage were also completed and the material related to gates reached the project site, they explained. “Clamping of the gates will start in two weeks and the work will be completed by the end of March for inauguration in April,” the officials said, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. They said that the excavation works of 134 metre tunnel in Owk tunnel was affected due to rains and presence of loose soil, and added that 14,000 cusecs of water was pumped out from two tunnels till now.