Congress Govt in Telangana clueless on handling Medigadda glitch; Annaram water release blunder, says L&T

HYDERABAD: The clueless Telangana Government has further delayed the possible repair work on Medigadda to be undertaken by the L&T company by releasing the water stored in Annaram barrage flooding the roads and the cofferdam of Medigadda.

Telangana Government released stored water from the Annaram to let the State Dam Safety Authority (SDSA) team visit the seepage of water under the barrage’s raft foundation. They forgot to inform the L&T which was summoned to complete their study of the sagging of piers of Medigadda. The approach road and the temporary cofferdam built by L&T were washed away further delaying the repairs to the Medigadda barrage

In a letter written to the Irrigation and Command Area Development (I&CAD), the L&T pointed out that its efforts to undertake geophysical tests in all blocks of the Medidagga barrage were put on hold because the Government started dewatering Annaram barrage without any notice.

“As per your instruction and after our confirmation for the geophysical tests in all blocks of the barrage, for speeding up the GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar)/ERT (Electrical Resistivity) tests we have made approach road, temporary cofferdam in block-6 upstream and downstream since last 15-20 days as per the plan submitted. We have dewatered the entire block by deploying high-capacity dewatering pumps and made the block-6 area last Friday for carrying out the GPR test,” the L&T in its letter said.

The company pointed out that unprecedented water flow was observed in the barrage bays resulting in the submergence which washed away the entire approach road, temporary cofferdam, and also waterbays in Block 6 and & 7. “We are forced to remove the dewatering pumps and shift them to a safer location. Photographs enclosed for your reference,” the construction company pointed out.

The company further explained that they understood that 16 gates of upstream Annaram barrage were lifted and more than 20,000 cusecs of water were released without any intimation to the L&T officially. “This has resulted in halting of the GPR/ERT tests till the time water recedes and we again make approach road and dewater the block-6 area,” the company said in its letter.

The entire 15 days' efforts of the contractors went in vain, and all equipment mobilised for the approach road, cofferdam would be left idle because of the excessive floods, the L&T said. The contractor also pointed out that this was the second time that an unprecedented flood was observed and no intimation was given to the company representatives.

“This has resulted in re-work of the preparatory work which is ultimately affecting the timeline of the rest. The delays encountered due to unprecedented water is not attributable to the contractor,” the letter noted. The company further sought the Government to approve its latest layout and drawings of the approach road and cofferdam so that they could take up the work all over again.

All in a rush to blame BRS

In an attempt to tarnish BRS the Telangana Government made a spectacle in front of everyone. The Medigadda barrage was prepared for the media coverage where more than 280 national and local journalists were taken to the barrage site and were allowed to inspect affected pillars.

The approach road was laid hurriedly to take the media, more for tarnishing the image of the BRS regime rather than explaining the situation. With the Annaram water flooding the very location where the media team visited a few weeks ago , the L&T would have to rebuild the approach as well as cofferdam that stops the incoming flood water at a bay.