Maintenance works on Nagarjuna Sagar Project: KRMB sets a deadline

In addition to the regular maintenance works, the NDSA team that visited the project some time ago, had also identified certain shortcomings in the maintenance.

Hyderabad: The KRMB has set June 15 as the deadline for completion of the repairs and annual maintenance works on the Nagarjuna Sagar Project. As the task of security and surveillance on the project was entrusted to the CRPF, the implementing agencies as well as the irrigation officials had limited access to the dam site for the last four months.

The project was under the operational control of Telangana for the last ten years and the maintenance works were also implemented by it all these years. But Andhra Pradesh had occupied a portion of the dam and wanted to implement on its own the maintenance works on certain stretches falling its limits. In this backdrop the CRPF was deployed on the dam.

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The maintenance works and other repairs which are expected to be completed before the onset of monsoon were impacted due to the standoff. Responding to the reminders from the officials of the TS Genco and the Irrigation Department, a team of officials from the Krishna River Management Board visited the project on a stock taking mission.

Board Member, R N Sankhua, who interacted with the project officials, asked them to step up the pace of the works and ensure their completion by June 15. The replacement of a damaged gantry crane rail track on the spillway bridge, must be completed before the monsoon season begins. Some of the existing instruments at the dam are not functional.

In addition to the regular maintenance works, the NDSA team that visited the project some time ago, had also identified certain shortcomings in the maintenance. Issues such as seepage and spillway damages were also observed. It was found that procedural delays in approvals and permissions from the Krishna River Management Board and security agency (CRPF) are also resulting in delays in dam safety works. The NDSA recommended fast-track clearances for taking up works related to maintenance.