‘Adopting diamond cutting to dismantle affected piers of Medigadda barrage’

"Finally, we have decided to opt for diamond cutting method. A private agency has been entrusted with the job and already the agency’s team has arrived”, Muralidhar told a group of newsmen visiting the project

Hyderabad: Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation) C Muralidhar said end to end investigation was in progress into the Medigadda barrage accident and diamond cutting method was being adopted to dismantle the affected piers. “It was a tough task and cannot be done manually. It can be done by adopting blasting method, but that could impact other structures”, he said.

“Finally, we have decided to opt for diamond cutting method. A private agency has been entrusted with the job and already the agency’s team has arrived” Muralidhar told a group of newsmen visiting the project on Friday.

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He also said that the work area was being cleared by constructing a cofferdam and it would be completed in ten days. End to end investigation was under progress. Totally three piers have to be reconstructed along with three crest gates, he explained. The Engineer-in-Chief further said that seepage was observed at four points in Annaram barrage as well. The problem was being attended with grouting.

As part of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, the three barrages, including Medigadda, Annnaram and Sundilla were taken up at a cost of Rs 7,500 crores.

Medigadda barrage could withstand the highest flood flow of 28 Lakh cusecs in the very second year during 2021-22 but piers in Block 7 were found sinking on October 21. A loud sound was heard near the block.

National Dam Safety Authority team had visited the project and took stock of the condition. As per the directions of the national agencies, measures were being planned for rehabilitation of the barrage.

Till date, the State government had spent Rs.93, 872 crores on Kaleshwaram project. It had mobilised Rs. 71,565 crores from the financial institutions for the project. The principal outstanding to be cleared is Rs. 66,868 crores, he said.

The Engineer-in-Chief said Rs. 3192 crore worth of bills were to be cleared to the discoms. As many as 6,918 million units of electricity were used till date for Kaleshwaram project, he added.