Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is going to lay foundation for the cofferdam of Polavaram project — the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh — on June 8. The Chief Minister is determined to complete the project as per schedule and release water through gravity by 2018. He is visiting the project site every month to personally inspect the progress of the ongoing works.

The cofferdam is proposed to divert Godavari River water through app-roach channel, spillway and spill channel so as to facilitate construction of the ECRF Dam. The coffer dam is designed for a 100 year return flood of 28.6 lakh cusecs. The cofferdam will be 2340 metres long at the top level 42.5 m and top width 9.0 metres and base width 137 mts.

The cofferdam Jet grouting is undertaken by Keller India. Jet grouting is one of the important techniques that may be employed even at greater depths under the surface of the earth. The Chief Minister, during a recent review meeting, directed the officials to design an iconic bridge on the spill channel to develop the project site as a tourist spot. He said because Papikondalu and Pattiseema are nearby, tourism should be developed at the Polavaram project site and a museum should be set up explaining the progress of the works.

As per the directions of the Chief Minister the officials completed the designs of the Iconic bridge across the spill channel of the project. The cable stayed bridge will be at a length of 1040mts with 10 spans. The pylon height stands at 60 mts. The bridge looks very aesthetic and will attract lot of tourists with wonderful scene of spilling water through spillway from the bridge.

Despite of continuous heat wave and recent rainfall the officials are completing their targets in earth work, concrete at spillway and stilling basin and construction of diaphragm wall as per schedule. The radial gates of the project are also getting ready.