The Hindu Business Line : Trial run of Godavari water project soon

A NEW LIFELINE: A view of the intake well of the Godavari water project at Kateru near Rajahmundry. A 56-km-long pipeline from this point will carry water to Visakhapatnam. - C.V. Subrahmanyam

Rajahmundry , June 8

THE Visakhapatnam industrial water supply project for diversion of 5 tmc feet of Godavari waters from here to Visakhapatnam through the Yeleru canal, being executed by Larsen and Toubro, is in an advanced stage and the company is expecting to take up trial pumping of waters in a month or so.

A company spokesman explained to a group of visiting reporters at Kateru near here, the water intake point, on Sunday that the works had commenced only eight months ago and proceeded briskly.

One of the biggest intake wells in the country, with a diameter of 22 metres, was built at Kateru village and five 1500-kw VT pumps were being used.

For water transmission, a 2,600-mm pipeline was being laid from Kateru to the Yeleru canal, a distance of 56 km. A 200-metre bridge was also being built over Yeleru river as a part of the project, the spokesman said. AP Transco had given the power connection recently and "in a month's time we expect to begin trial pumping''.

The Rs 352-crore Visakhapatnam industrial water supply project had been awarded to the L&T, after examining the bids of six companies in a global tender. The Visakhapatnam steel plant, the Visakhapatnam municipal corporation, the NTPC-Simhadri and other industrial units were contributing to the project.

The spokesman said the contract was for a period of 32 years. Ms Rajana Ramani, Mayor of Visakhapatnam, and Mr Navin Mittal, Municipal Commissioner, expressed satisfaction over the progress of works. The Mayor said the Visakhapatnam municipal corporation had taken up the requisite works at its end - setting up of a filtration plant and laying pipelines - to draw the water from the Kanithi balancing reservoir and supply it to citizens.

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