Vijayawada: In a shocking development, a contractor firm, involved in the Amaravati capital city works, left irrigation authorities stumped when it dumped gravel in the Krishna western delta (KWD) canal.The canal was filled with gravel near Sitanagaram, prompting irrigation officials to raise strong objections with the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) and the Amaravati Development Corporation (ADC). The contractor, tasked with the construction of a seed access road and a steel bridge, was rushing to meet deadlines, thereby dumping gravel in the empty canal.This triggered serious concern within the water resources department, as the dumping was carried out without obtaining mandatory permissions. Officials feared that the unauthorised action could block the canal, resulting in serious consequences.The CRDA initiated the seed access road to connect the capital city with NH-16. Simultaneously, proposals were drawn up to widen the embankment at the Kondaveeti Vagu sluice into a two-line structure. In this backdrop, authorities decided to construct a steel bridge to improve connectivity from the old national highway near Sitanagaram.As part of these works, pillars were erected adjacent to the gates at the point where Kondaveeti Vagu flows into the Krishna western canal. Additional pillars were also coming up on the national highway side near KL Rao Colony. To facilitate the construction, the firm is believed to have filled the canal with soil on both sides, substantially reducing its carrying capacity.Irrigation officials pointed out that no clearance was issued by the department for undertaking such work within the canal. Since the Krishna western canal falls under the Inland Waterways jurisdiction, permission from the Central Designs Organisation is mandatory for the construction of any major or permanent bridge. However, the contract firm executing the project on behalf of the ADC is said to have proceeded without securing the required approvals.When questioned by irrigation department officials, the contractor firm reportedly submitted a plan describing the structure as a temporary bridge. Its representatives informed officials that only a limited quantity of soil would be dumped on either side of the canal. Contrary to these assurances, nearly half of the canal width has now been filled, officials observed.During an inspection, water resources department officials expressed serious apprehension over the scale of the filling. They cautioned the firm to expedite the construction, restore the canal to its original condition, and clear the dumped soil at the earliest. When asked for the status of the work, ADC chairperson Dr Lakshmi Parthasarathy Bhaskar did not respond.
