Men, machines race against time to meet deadlines

​ *While Pattiseema is expected to become operational by June, efforts are being made to complete Polavaram phase-I works by June 2018 as per deadlines

*Once operational, Pattiseema will provide water to Krishna delta ending the dependence on Nagarjuna Sagar water even for seed beds

Polavaram (West Godavari): The Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Polavaram Multipurpose Project, the two major projects in the State are expected to be completed by envisaged deadlines.

The government had set June 2016 as deadline for the Pattiseema and June 2018 for the first phase of the Polavaram project. The machines are ready now at both sites and the men are positioned. Both the men and machines are racing against time to meet the deadlines with Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao frequenting the sites to oversee the work.

Last leg of works left at Pattiseema

The Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme which is taken up on the banks of river Godavari is set to draw 80 TMCs of water from Godavari through 24 pumps and channel it to river Krishna through the Polavaram Left Main Canal travelling through 174 kilometres. The canal, which was completed for 140 kilometres during late Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, was taken up by the TDP government in 2015 on priority basis after disposing off court cases to complete the remaining 34 kilometers.

The canal is almost ready for the water to flow through, including the three aqueducts on Gundedru, Tammileru and Ramileru rivulets positioned at 97 km, 107 km and 121 km respectively from the origin point.

The motors and pumps are getting ready right on the banks of the river, while the distribution systems are already completed at the mouth of the Polavaram Left Main Canal. The 24 motors would pump the water, which would travel for about 50 meters in separate pipelines and join together to flow in 12 pipelines taking the water to the Left Main Canal.

Besides completing the three aqueducts again as they were washed away last year, the officials have to complete the canal works at Budameru rivulet on the outskirts of the city, two kilometers away before the canal meets the river Ibrahimpatnam.

The works at the pumping station are in full swing as the motors are being installed, pumps are being positioned and the pipelines are placed for the finishing works.

“The works would complete, and the motors would be operated as per schedule to draw water from June 2016 to give water early to the Krishna delta without depending on Nagarjuna Sagar even for the seed beds,” said Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao.

Polavaram: Works go on despite procedural delays

The works at Polavaram too have started and the heavy machinery is already deployed the site. The men and machines are now working on the spillway channel that would facilitate diversion of Godavari river by three kilometers to facilitate construction of earth-cum-rock fill dam.

The positioning of over half-a-dozen small hills and the two major hills on both sides of the river is seen as a blessing in disguise for the project as they would be used as borders for heavy reservoir. The two small hills on the left side of the river are used for the spillway borders, while the other four small hills are being removed to facilitate diversion of the river.

The spillway diversion channel would be the first to get ready as only then they could start the work for the earth-cum-rock fill dam and the power house. While the spillway channel work is being done by the local engineers and machines, the contractors have imported German machines to execute the rock fill dam work.

The government and the contractors are now busy making financial assessment of the project. “We are ready to hand it over to the Centre if required or we would execute the work and seek reimbursement,” said the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, at a news conference on March 2.

Quoting the Chief Minister, the Minister said: “We can’t wait for the Centre to complete the technical and procedural formalities and begin the work as the project is very important to the State and the government is committed to meet the deadline. The technical and procedural works will go simultaneously with the physical work at the site to ensure that the project is completed on time,” the Minister asserted.