Designs for the new diaphragm wall of the Polavaram Irrigation Project are expected to be approved by 25 November this year and the works are likely to commence from the end of December or January next year.

The new D-Wall, which is estimated to cost around Rs 900 crore, will be executed by German company Bauer Group is expected to be completed by March 2026. The international experts’ team which studied the scoured portions of the project and other aspects, is likely to examine and submit its recommendations to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for its approval for earth cum rock fill (ECRF) Dam by February.

Works for Gap 1 of the ECRF Dam are likely to be taken up in March next year and, Gap 2 in November. Hence, both the D-Wall and the ECRF of the project will be taken up simultaneously. Decisions to this effect were taken during the workshop held on technical aspects of Polavaram, where the international team of experts explained the finer points of technical details to the project officials.

In August last week this year, the Union Cabinet had sanctioned Rs 12,157 crore for completing Phase-1 works of the Polavaram Irrigation Project. It has been estimated that Rs 30,436.95 crore is required for Phase-1 of the project. After considering the State’s contribution, a sum of Rs 25,706 crore is to be paid by the Centre. So far, Rs 15,146 crore has been released. As the State government spent Rs 1,095 crore on land acquisition and compensation, the Centre has now approved the sanction of the remaining Rs 12,157 crore, and of the total, Rs 6,000 crore will be released in 2024-25, and the remaining Rs 6,157 crore in 2025-26.