Hyderabad: A central team from the Central Water Commission (CWC) inspected the Polavaram Project on Friday to review progress and check the quality of ongoing works. The delegation was led by Aditya Sharma, Member of CWC’s Designs and Research Wing. Chief Engineer S. S. Bakhshill and M. Raghuram, Member Secretary of the Polavaram Project Authority, were also part of the visit.
During the tour, officials from the Water Resources Department and contractor MEIL briefed the team on the status of each major component. At the viewpoint, the CWC team received an update on overall progress. They then moved to the model dam, spillway and gate areas for closer checks. The delegation examined gates, cylinders and the power-packs that support their operation. They also reviewed the upstream cofferdam, Gap-1 works, the diaphragm wall and the hydropower station under construction. At every stage, officials explained the work, and the team raised technical questions.
Inspection shows focus on structure and timelines
The CWC team studied all key structures, including the spillway and cofferdam, and tested the gate systems. They checked the diaphragm wall and Gap-1 works to see whether they match design norms and project timelines. Through this inspection, the central team aimed to ensure that the Polavaram Project is moving as planned under its national project status.
The Andhra Pradesh government is executing the Polavaram Project, which has been declared a National Project, with full central funding for the irrigation component.