Deadline set for interim works on Medigadda barrage

Accordingly, steps are being taken by Irrigation officials to complete the works on priority latest by June 10. But the Irrigation Department is yet to finalise terms with the implementation agency, L&T.

Hyderabad: Men and machinery would be moved to the Medigadda barrage in two days to take up the interim works recommended by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) team in its preliminary report submitted to the State government last week.

The Judicial Commission headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose probing into the lapses in the construction of Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, key components of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, has directed the Irrigation Secretary to ensure completion of the Interim works before the onset of the monsoon.

---

Accordingly, steps are being taken by Irrigation officials to complete the works on priority latest by June 10. But the Irrigation Department is yet to finalise terms with the implementation agency, L&T.

The company has reportedly been insisting on a supplementary agreement to take up any sort of works on the Medigadda barrage constructed by it.

Efforts were on to take up works on the barrage, without further loss of working time.

Key aspects of the interim recommendations of the NDSA are of priority, officials said.

The Irrigation officials had kept open 77 of the 85 gates of the Medigadda barrage well before the NDSA team could submit its interim report.

The radial gates adjacent to Pier No 20 (Gate No 20 and 21), which suffered maximum damage have to be removed completely by dismantling. The remaining six gates would be lifted and kept in fully open position.

They will be latched firmly, they said. In case of any difficulty in lifting any of these gates to fully open position, they would also be removed completely as recommended by the NDSA team.

The NDSA report was discussed by the enginneers- in-chief of the department with officials of the respective wings. Representatives of the designs wing also came up with their suggestions.

Total attention would be paid to the status of Pier No 20, which has sunk by over 1.2 metres and was precariously standing.

Its reinforcement were completely sheared off and a wide crack was running along the full height of the pier, they said, exuding confidence that the work would be completed well before the onset of monsoon. Priority was to save the structure, they added.