Central Water Commission team inspects Polavaram project amid Telangana’s submergence concerns

Officials review key components including the diaphragm wall and cofferdams, stressing expedited work and coordination between Central and State agencies

Hyderabad: A team of senior officials from the Central Water Commission (CWC) visited the Polavaram project site in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday to review ongoing works, amid the onset of the monsoon and rising concerns from Telangana over possible submergence due to backwaters.

The delegation, led by CWC Member Yogesh Paithankar and Chief Engineer HS Senegar, along with Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) Chief Engineer Ramesh Kumar, conducted a detailed inspection of critical components of the project. These included the diaphragm wall, buttress dam, Gap-1 works, upper and lower cofferdams, and the spillway.

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Officials from the Water Resources Department briefed the team on the construction techniques and progress made on the diaphragm wall and buttress dam. The CWC officials stressed the need to expedite work to meet project deadlines, noting the importance of maintaining close coordination between the Central and State governments for timely completion.

The visit gains significance in light of Telangana’s repeated concerns about flooding and submergence risks, especially in vulnerable areas such as Bhadrachalam, due to the Polavaram reservoir’s backwater impact. These concerns have led to calls for detailed hydrological studies and joint field surveys.

As previously reported by Telangana Today on May 30, the CWC has been tasked with assessing drainage congestion in six major streams in Telangana potentially affected by the project.