The first phase of the multi-crore Veligonda project, the lifeline of western Prakasam, will be completed at any cost by coming Sankranti, State Forest Minister Sidda Raghava Rao asserted on Tuesday.
Talking to reporters after inspecting along with his Cabinet colleague P. Narayana and District Collector V. Vinay Chand the giant tunnel being drilled to bring Krishna water from the Srisailam reservoir to the drought-prone district, Mr. Raghava Rao said the contractor had been changed for speedy execution of the project, which had suffered delays due to technical problems involved in boring of the tunnels by Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) procured from Germany and the US. All the technical problems would be overcome and water ensured to people by the Sankranti festival, he asserted.
Over 80% works relating to drilling of 18.8-km-long tunnel had been completed till date, he said, adding that “the remaining works will be executed on a war-footing to ensure its completion in the next four months. We have on hand enough spares and the TBMs will be in full action from now.”
So far 57% of the works had been completed on the second tunnel and the remaining works would be speeded up and completed by December next year, Mr. Narayana said. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had asked the contractor to execute tunnel work at the rate of 20 metres per day, irrigation officials said after a review of the works by the Ministers. The project cost has been revised from ₹5,150 crore to ₹8,300 crore as it suffered time overruns.
