Two years after one of the eight shutters of KRP dam breached from corrosion, forcing its reservoir to be drained of 1 TMC water over a span of three days, the tenders for the replacement of all but one shutter are currently being processed. The project is funded by World Bank under its Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project(DRIP). The Shutter I of the dam was replaced under the State funds last year.
For the first time in the State, a two cover system of tendering is being followed as advised by World Bank, according to official source. The first part of the tender is the technical bid for the design, which was floated in early September and are currently under evaluation by the dam safety experts. The shortlisted designs would go through the second stage of financial bids.
On September 6, the tenders were called for the technical bid. As of date, the designs are under evaluation by the experts on shutters and gates of dams. The designs are validated as safe will go through the second stage of financial bid by next week.
Asked about the delay in the start of the project and calling for tenders ahead of the monsoons, the official said the delay was because of the farmers. The tenders were not opened earlier because farmers were unwilling to lose two cropping season in the reservoir’s watershed areas and demanded water for 150 days. “This is a World Bank funded project with strict deadlines. Once the works begin, the farmers will lose irrigation for two cropping season. But, this Summer, after severe drought, and zero drainage from Bengaluru, farmers agreed to let the works commence,” said the official.
However, the project entail dismantling, fabrication, erection as separate processes. So, even if the works were to commence after December at the end of the monsoons, the fabrication of the shutters will be started by the contractor in their workshops as soon as the tender is awarded, says the source. The financial bid is likely to be floated next week, after the evaluation of the technical bids.
Once the works commence, the reservoir level will be lowered to 32 feet from its full capacity of 52 feet. Depending on the drainage from Bengaluru, there will be steady discharge with a flow upto 8 km. in the main canals and the excess water over the 32 feet will be discharged into the river sluice.
The World Bank has released ₹22.3 crore to the State government for this project. Of this, the State government has released ₹20.43 crore. Tenders have been called for ₹19.07 crore (including GST) and the officials are expecting that the final cost for the replacement of all seven shutters willl be accomplished at ₹16 crore.
