Is the Polavaram Irrigation Project (PIP) going to be completed as per schedule by 2019?
This is the million dollar question being asked everyone. People want to know why leaders of various opposition parties say that it is impossible.
But the recent statements of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari that efforts would be made to complete the project in 2018 itself rekindled the hopes of the people.
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The State government has been saying that it would complete the project before the end of the 2019 dry season. It has even said that it would send water by gravity into the Polavaram Right Main Canal (PIPRMC), which is 91% complete, and the Polavaram Left Main Canal (PIPLMC), which is 59% complete, in the flood season of 2018 using the cofferdam of the project.
The State government is not sparing any efforts in trying to complete the project before the deadline it has set.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had said that he would review the progress of the project using latest technology such as drones and short-circuit television network once in a week on Mondays.
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The planning and reviews began well before the Centre and State came to an agreement about funds and powers of execution.
Mr. Naidu had till date conducted over 50 virtual inspections and 21 (last on December 11) actual inspections of the project site.
Weekly targets were set for excavation (spillway, spill channel, approach channel, pilot channel), concrete work (spillway, spill channel), fabrication of radial gates, all of which were taken up simultaneously, and contractors and sub-contractors were told to stick to them when the Chief Minister made his 14th visit on February 11.
The concreting of the spillway had begun on December 30, 2016 and work on diaphragm wall (the foundation of the earth-cum-rock-filled dam) had begun on February 1.
A plan was prepared to complete the concreting of spillway in 402 days. The contractors were given daily targets. When the contractors failed to reach their weekly milestones, the targets of the subsequent weeks were revised to cover the shortfall. Despite the meticulous efforts, the work did not progress as planned.
The reason: prime contractor Transstroy.
Despite all efforts, only 11.43% of the concrete work could be completed in the entire year.
On collision course
The tardy pace of work resulted in the State government wanting to remove the prime contractor. Though the slow release of funds by the Centre was also an issue, it was the proposal to change the contractor that put the State and the Centre on a collision course.
A letter came from the Minister asking the State government to put on hold the fresh tenders that were called for the spillway and spill channel concrete work.
The letter arrived at the worst time when the Legislative Assembly was in session, prompting the Chief Minister to state that the Centre could execute the project if it wanted. The Centre subsequently softened and proclaimed all support. But there are other ways the Centre is applying brakes on the State.
Approval of designs for the cofferdam needed to build the ECRF dam is being inordinately delayed.
State Minister for Water Resources Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, after a two-hour-long meeting with the Union Minister earlier this month, said that Mr. Gadkari was all for completing the project in 2018 itself.
Meanwhile, the Opposition YSRCP and the Congress are crying foul saying the Centre should execute the project.