VIJAYAWADA: The diaphragm wall work will begin on January 7, officials informed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the weekly review and virtual inspection of Polavaram Project at his Velagapudi office here on Tuesday.
Giving details of the earthwork, the officials said 13.87 lakh cubic metres of excavation work had been taken up last week. This included 2.56 lakh cubic metres at spillway, 7.66 lakh cubic metres at spill channel, 2.27 lakh cubic metres at powerhouse foundation, 0.76 cubic metres at approach channel and 0.62 lakh cubic metres at pilot channel.
The Chief Minister said the the excavation of spillway must be completed in two months and the spill channel in six months.
The officials said the equipment, manpower and material were now in place and work would begin as per schedule on December 19. Tenders would be called by the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation Limited for the construction of the 960-MW Hydro Electric Project next week.
The Chief Minister suggested that the departments concerned should arrange field trips for engineering students to the project site.
He directed the officials to document the work to preserve its historical significance and speed up proposed museum and model project house work.
