Preparations are underway for the construction of a miniature dam in the Polavaram project. A similar small (miniature) dam will be built near the project in exactly the same way as the main dam will be built, as per the recommendation of a foreign expert team. On the one hand, diaphragm wall construction work is underway in Polavaram. The main dam is to be built in two gaps.
The construction of the diaphragm wall will have to be completed for the construction of the main dam in Gap 2. Everything is ready for the construction of the main dam in Gap 1. The designs have been prepared. They will be submitted to the Central Water Commission through the Polavaram Project Authority.
Although the construction of the main dam in the second gap is planned to start from November this year, there is a possibility of further delay. 540 meters should be built in Gap 1 of the main dam and 1,750 meters in Gap 2. This dam will be built at a height of 45.72 meters.
In this order, a group of foreign experts recommended that a model dam be built first using the same material as the main dam and its strength, how many times will it be rolled to achieve the desired strength? The foreign experts recommended that any work done abroad should first be done as a model, tested and then proceed based on the results.
Presently, the Afri Structures Company and foreign experts have said that this model dam should be built. Preparations are underway for the construction of this model dam below the Polavaram Gap 2 main dam. Excavation work has begun for this. This miniature construction is being undertaken with a total length of 35 meters, width of 50 meters, and height of 3 meters.
The same amount of material used in the construction of the main dam will be used here in the same way as according to the designs. Stones, sand, black soil, and other materials are filled in it. Rolling is done. This construction will take three weeks. Engineering officials say that the strength of the dam can be gauged from the experiences of this miniature construction.
However, the rains have been hampering the work since the last week of May. Although the in-principle approval has been given for the construction of the Gap 1 main dam, the designs are yet to be finalized. The steps will have to be taken forward only after the model dam is constructed and studied.
