The need to expedite Krishna delta modernisation work was stressed by Minister for Secondary Education Kolusu Parthasarathy.
The Minister, reviewing the progress of modernisation work with officials of the Irrigation Department, said the State Government had earmarked Rs. 2,180 crore for modernisation, but works valued at Rs. 260 crore only had been completed till now.
He told the officials to quickly finalise the structures required to safeguard residents of Vijayawada from flood waters every time Budameru went into spate.
People living on either side of Budameru rivulet as it pass through a section of the city were being frequently subjected to inconvenience and danger, he said.
He said that the drainage system needed to be modernised to prevent waterlogging in some areas.
He said the Irrigation department had to take responsibility for the modernisation of drains and canals in the city area too.
The Minister said that construction of retaining walls for Campbell and Bantumilli canals should be completed on a warfooting.
He said several bridges were needed across the canals and Budameru keeping in view the increasing traffic congestion in the city.
He said Rs 12 lakh had been released for conducting repairs to the foot bridge near Alankar Theatre.
Vijayawada Irrigation Circle Superintending Engineer K.L.Narasimha Murthy said progress of modernisation works would be closely monitored.
The contractors had committed themselves to completing 35 per cent of the works by June 2013. MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Vellampalli Srinivas, Krishna Canal Division Executive Engineer P.Gangaiah, Special Division EE B.S.S.Srinivas Yadav, Drinage EE, Nageswara Rao, Mylavaram EE, Appala Naidu, Municipal Corporation SE Venkateswara Rao attended the meeting.