Dredging of Godavari river gets green signal, Rs 272 crore funds finalised

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Irrigation department has given a green signal to a private agency for dredging of river Godavari near Sir Arthur Cotton barrage to increase the storage capacity. The administration has finalised the tenders and the agency would take up dredging work shortly at a cost of Rs 272 crore.

Dowleswaram Barrage Superintending Engineer K Narasimha Murthy said that technical committee has approved the private agency which will dig out the sand and sell it through Mining Development Corporation and credit the amount into the govt’s exchequer. Initially the authorities will identify the places with huge sand deposits obstructing the free of flow of water and dredge a total of 30km.

Water resources authorities had submitted tender documents to the Judicial preview commission for approval and the technical committee has scrutinized the documents.After reorganisation of the districts, both left and right banks came under East Godavari district jurisdiction.

The agency would undertake desilting from the foreshore of cotton barrage in Godavari river towards left bank, at a cost of Rs 144.23 crore, as well as from the foreshore of barrage in river towards right bank at a cost of Rs 128.13 crore. Nearly 2 crore cubic meter sand likely to be excavated by the agency in the coming years.