Polavaram  Project Spillway To Be The World's Largest

AMARAVATI: The prestigious  Multipurpose  Polavaram project built on river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh is quickly evolving into one of the  largest irrigation projects in the country. The   uniqueness of this project is that it is being built in such a manner that it can sustain water flow of 50 lakh cusecs ,which is much higher than 3 gorges dam in China. This concrete spillway dam will provide irrigation facilities for more than 7 lakh acres of land and drinking water facilities to the surrounding Godavari region. 

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Government is giving high priority to complete the project using sophisticated engineering technologies and scientific methods. This prestigious national project has gained new pace with the use of advanced engineering models used for irrigation  projects. MEIL (Megha Engineering Infrastructures Limited), is taking massive efforts towards carving this world’s largest spillway project before the deadline.
The first proposal to build the dam on Godavari River to store surplus water that flows into the sea was first initiated in 1941 during the British rule. 
Much later, under the aegis of late chief minister, Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy took up the initiative and started the construction of Polavaram Project. During his period the right and left canals construction was completed.

After the state bifurcation in 2014, Polavaram dam acquired National Status. However, in the TDP's tenure the then CM N Chandrababu Naidu completely failed to make any progress in construction of the project. The development of the project was irregular and there was no progress in the key works on the project Only a few spillways and the cofferdam were built. There was nothing else done beyond this. He gave more priority on the construction of cofferdam and tried to fill it with floodwater. But it was quite against the engineering approach of irrigation projects. Cofferdam is a temporary structure, which is built for the diversion of water in the main reservoir during the construction of the dam. 

In 2019, YSRCP came into power and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was elected as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, after which he took up the Polavaram Project as a prestigious project in the interest of the people of AP. He called for reverse tendering and the Government saved more than ₹800 crore after the project construction work was awarded to Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd. (MEIL).
After taking up the project construction work in November 2019, MEIL wasted no time and took all steps to use the resources effectively and productively. As of now, all efforts are being carried out to pool up the expertise and resources to accomplish the project within the stipulated time. It demonstrated its determination again in executing such prestigious projects in a time-bound manner. 

Progress

• MEIL highlighted the construction of spillway beams, as well as bridges, dividing wall, lifting wall, and the guide wall. At the same time, major works such as the Earth Cum Rockfill Dam are progressing rapidly.
• In a span of one year, MEIL extended the Spillway piers height from 28 meters to 52 meters. 
• Gap-1 construction, cofferdam works on the upper and lower part of the project site that prevents obstacles due to unforeseen floods is completed. 
• With the concrete construction being done here, the project will be further strengthened during the floods.
• In the Earth Cum Rock fill Dam construction so far- 1,94,944 cubic meters of concrete construction in the spillway, 1,10,033 cubic meters of concrete work and 10,64,417 cubic meters of earthworks in the spill channel was completed. 
• The crucial 1,88,623 cubic meters of 902 hill excavation works is also completed.
• 172 girders construction was completed and about 84 girders were placed on the spillway piers. 
• Bridge slab work of 250 meters on 10 piers is also completed, in addition to the installation of girders on the rest of the piers, the shuttering work, steel setting is in process. 
• Gap-1, 2-diaphragm wall construction work is completed. In Gap-3 rock excavation is completed, wall construction is in process. 
• Construction work on the key Trunnian beams in the gates is in full swing. 
• Twenty beams construction has already been completed and setting up gates near the completed beams is running. The gates used in this project are modernised and unique.

Despite the Corona pandemic and massive floods recently, Polavaram project work is nearing completion as per the deadlines set by YSRCP government.  Several engineering projects are now underway, and it is now believed that the Polavaram project will be completed on time by 2021 and will set new standards in the field of irrigation project construction.