Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu inspects flood mitigation works in Vijayawada
Vijayawada: The state govt has decided to construct a retaining wall to connect the three breached points on the Budameru stream in Vijayawada, aiming to protect the city from future floods.
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Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu announced that the works are commencing on a war footing basis, with a deadline of June 10 to complete the retaining wall before the onset of the monsoon season.During an inspection of ongoing works, Ramanaidu, accompanied by Mylavaram MLA Vasantha Krishnaprasad, ENC M Venkateswara Rao, and project engineers, directed officials and contract agencies to procure additional machinery to expedite the construction process.The decision to construct the retaining wall follows the Budameru flood stream's breaches during the last monsoon, which inundated several colonies in Vijayawada city. Initially, authorities considered removing encroachments in the city; however, this proved challenging due to thousands of permanent structures built over the past few decades.Instead, the state govt has opted to widen the Budameru stream to carry floodwater up to 37,500 cusecs, significantly increasing its capacity from the current 10,000 cusecs. Additionally, an alternative channel will be created to lessen the intensity of flood flow.Ramanaidu stated that proposals have been prepared to increase the Budameru diversion canal's capacity and complete pending works. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared to channel Budameru floodwater through Enikepadu, Kolleru, and Uppateru into the sea. Furthermore, plans are underway to develop a new parallel channel to the Budameru old channel with a capacity of 20,000 cusecs.The minister expressed hope for financial assistance from the Centre through the disaster management department and emphasized the need for coordination with municipal administration, revenue, and disaster management departments to ensure Vijayawada city is free from flood threats.
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