Put Kaleswaram on fast-track: Harish

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao on Monday made a surprise visit to the Kaleswaram project sites on Monday night to inspect works. He interacted with officials and slept at the project site in the night.

After attending daylong programmes in Siddipet on Monday, the minister visited the Sundilla barrage site at around 7 pm and inspected construction works till 3 am on Tuesday.

He told the staff to fasttrack the works and complete in all respects by May 31, 2018.

He said these instructions will apply for all other barrage works under the Kaleswaram project as Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao intends to release the Godavari waters from Kaleswaram, Annaram, Sundilla barrages from on June 1, 2018 to the command area.

On Tuesday morning, the irrigation minister conducted a review meeting with the irrigation officials and representatives of various contract agencies.

Mr Rao told them that he could stay for another three days at the project sites to oversee the progress of works.

Since all clearances and permissions were obtained for the Kaleswaram project, the minister said there should be no complacency on the part of the staff in completing the works as targeted.

He said using two lakh cement bags per day for the concrete works for various structures like tunnels, pump houses and barrages is a record in the country.

Later in the day, the irrigation minister inspected the progress of civil work at Annaram barrage and Kannepalli Pump house.