The construction of the Polavaram project has been on a fast track since the coalition government came to power, after it was pushed into shelf during the previous government. Within 9 months, 6.11 percent of the total work on the project has been completed. In the five years of Jaganmohan Reddy’s rule, only 11.58 percent of the work has been done.
There is progress of 3.80 percent land acquisition and 2.56 percent in the main dam and 2.56 percent in rehabilitation. After the coalition government came to power, solutions are being found for the problems of the Polavaram project. A foreign expert committee was appointed by the Central Jal Shakti and the Central Jal Sangh, and experts from India and abroad came to visit the project.
In this order, the construction of a new diaphragm wall has started. The construction of the D-wall began in January this year. A total of 1396 meters of it has to be built. So far, work has been undertaken for 158.20 meters.
Buttress dam to control seepage: Even though the upper and lower coffer dams have been constructed in Polavaram, the main dam area is filling up with water due to their seepage. This problem has become a challenge to work on.
There is a possibility of speeding up the project work until the months of April, May and June before the rains. Floods will start in Godavari from July. With this, arrangements are being made to control the seepage of the upper cofferdam. That is why the construction of the new buttress dam has been started.
These works have been undertaken at a cost of about Rs. 82 crores. This construction should be completed before the rainy season. The strategy is that if the buttress dam is constructed, the seepage coming from the foundations of the upper coffer dam can be controlled.
A platform is being constructed so that the seepage water does not interfere with the construction of the diaphragm wall. A missionary will be placed on that platform and the work will continue. The work will continue even during the floods and the target is to complete the diaphragm wall by December this year.
After the diaphragm wall is completed, the main rock and earth embankment will have to be constructed. It is planned to construct the Gap-2 main dam as soon as the construction of the D wall is partially completed.
Currently, the construction designs for the Gap-1 main dam are being submitted. The required soil and rock material have been prepared for this. The aim is to start the work on the first gap main dam in the second week of April and complete it by March 2026.