HYDERABAD: The Nagarjunasagar canals will be lined with concrete for a total length of 25,000 km, the largest stretch ever taken up for repairs anywhere.

The modernisation will cover not only the 580-km long right and left main canals which flow through six districts, but all the branches, distributaries and field channels. Most of these canals have developed leakages as no repairs have been taken up since their construction several decades ago.

An action plan to rehabilitate the project and its canal system has been finalised in anticipation of the approval of the Rs 3,000-crore World Bank assistance for the purpose. The Union Finance Ministry, however, gave the clearance for the loan recently following a meeting with State officials in New Delhi.

Counter-guarantee

Y. Abdul Basheer, chief engineer, Nagarjunasagar, who participated in the meeting, said the Government of India would give a counter-guarantee for the loan, which is likely to materialise by May.

Nagarjunasagar irrigates 40 lakh acres--27 lakh acres under the right and left Canals and 13 lakh acres in Krishna delta. But over the years, nearly four lakh acres in the tail-end stretches of the main canals in Prakasam, Krishna and West Godavari districts have not received sufficient water. Modernisation of the canals is expected to cover up this "gap ayacut."

Major repairs

Austrian technology will be used for lining a 10-km stretch of the Huzurabad branch. A skin-thin geo-membrane blanket will be laid on the canal before being covered with concrete.

As part of the scheme, the dam will also be repaired at a cost of Rs 68 crores. The cavities that developed on the spillway due to the impact of the waterfall will be filled with specially made epoxy concrete. The galleries, the apron at the base of the dam and the bucket portion of the spillway will also be improved.

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