VIJAYAWADA: The Irrigation Department is conducting a rapid survey to prepare estimates for the "mini-modernisation" of the Krishna delta.

The Vijayawada Irrigation Circle Superintending Engineer, J. Rajendra Prasad, held a meeting with engineers of his department and briefed them about the data required for preparation of the estimates.

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, announced that work on modernising the 150-year-old Krishna delta would be taken up next year.

Project report

A project report on Krishna delta modernisation was prepared by the Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI), Hyderabad, in 1995.

The report, stressing the need to modernise the irrigation and drainage systems then, put the cost at Rs. 655.20 crores. In these 10 years, the cost of the project had escalated to Rs. 1,300 crores.

The full-fledged modernisation will involve the replacement of the head sluices of both the Krishna Eastern and Western main canals. The ESCI earmarked 567 km of primary canals and 145 km of smaller canals for improvement and lining, and listed the construction of 109 regulators, 614 sluices, 39 under-tunnels, 37 escapes and 220 bridges as part of the full-fledged modernisation of the Krishna delta.

The mini-modernisation, on the other hand, could be completed spending anything between Rs. 6 crores and Rs. 10 crores, Mr. Prasad said.

Objective

The primary objective of the mini-modernisation project was to restore the canal system to theoretical or design standards. Restoring design standards was needed for the calculation and maintenance of water velocity in the canals.

While water velocity of two metres per second could be maintained in canals with concrete lining, the velocity should be lower in canals lined with alluvial soils. A "non-scouring and non-silting water velocity" should be maintained in canals of Krishna delta.

Restoring the canal system to the design standards basically means ensuring that the gradient required in the canal bed-level is maintained from the head of the canal right up to its tail.

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