The AP Capital Region Development Authority (AP-CRDA) pegged the cost of expanding Kondaveeti Vagu and Palavagu, setting up the required pumping stations and other flood management works in the capital region at approximately ₹2,603 crore as per the State government’s current Standard Schedule of Rates (standard rates).
According to an official release, an action plan for the flood works was prepared by TATA Consulting Engineers and the Netherlands-based Arcadis NV during 2015-19 period on the basis of a flood return period of 100 years, a downpour of 222 millimetres in a 24-hour span and future run-offs.
The Water Resources Department and a high-level committee formed by the government had then approved the plan after duly reviewing it.
As the CRDA considered taking up the flood works after a five-year gap, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and independent experts in climate studies scrutinised the plan and expressed their satisfaction, thereby paving the way to undertake the expansion (increasing both width and depth) of Kondaveeti Vagu and Palavagu as early as possible and complete them in three years.
It was stated that the works could have been completed at 25 to 30% less cost had they been taken up during 2019-24. However, not to waste further time, it has been decided to start executing the flood works at the above rates which climbed up over the years on account of inflation.
Published – November 09, 2024 09:12 pm IST