Noting that a plan of action should be prepared to complete the Polavaram project by June 2021, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed that the spillway and approach channel be completed by this June.

The completion of the spillway will pave the way for the supply of water.

After inspecting the cofferdam and spillway at the project site here on Friday, Reddy directed the officials to clear all the hurdles in executing the project at the earliest. Its completion is among his government’s top priorities, he said.

The rock-fill dam works will be carried out between June and October to fill the gaps in the cofferdam, and adequate funds will be allocated for it, he added.

Relief operations

The Chief Minister directed the officials to immediately start relief and rehabilitation works so that the people of the region can be evacuated to safer places even before the project works are completed.

An official would be entrusted with the work of liaising with the Centre to obtain clearance for the designs and follow-up action in the execution, he added.

While saying that siltage due to the floods last season was the reason for the delay in the project execution, the CM asked the officials to complete the right and left canal works on time. The officials informed him that the right canal works would be completed by June, and the left canal works were being taken up in two packages.

It was proposed to name the bridge to be constructed over the spillway as ‘YSR Gateway’. It will be four-laned, and linked to the earth-cum-rock-filled dam.

The cofferdam, once operational, would require the evacuation of 17,000 people from six villages in the Devipatnam region, as submergence in 35 contours is expected. The required funds will be released for setting up rehabilitation colonies, said Reddy.

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