Ghose panel questions Afcons over Annaram quality issues

Hyderabad: The Justice PC Ghose Commission of Inquiry has raised serious concerns regarding the quality of the Annaram barrage, which began showing signs of damage within just a couple of years after its construction. The commission questioned Afcons, the construction company responsible for the project, on how the barrage—designed to last 100 years without issues—developed leakages so soon.
Justice Ghose specifically asked why the company focused solely on the contract and financial aspects, and whether they took any responsibility for the quality of the construction.
Afcons representatives, Naga Mallikarjuna Rao and Sekhar Das, who appeared before the commission on Saturday, clarified that if it had been an engineering and procurement contract, they would have addressed all potential issues during construction.
However, they acknowledged that problems had arisen and noted that discussions with the irrigation department had been held to address the damage. They also sought consultancy for the damage to the barrage's cement concrete blocks. To mitigate the seepage, grouting was carried out, but they said the irrigation department failed to take any long-term measures.
Regarding delays in the project, the representatives informed the commission that the construction timeline had been affected by a change in the site location and land acquisition issues. Additionally, as there was no direct access to the site, temporary access was arranged through private lands, they said.