Quality concerns continue to haunt Polavaram project, despite foreign experts’ recommendations

Despite repeated recommendations from a team of international experts, it appears no significant steps have been taken to implement quality control measures in the execution of the Polavaram irrigation project.

The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has been persistent in pushing for action, but progress on this front remains sluggish. Six months after the work began on the reconstruction of the diaphragm wall, only 30% of the structure has been completed, and critical quality control mechanisms are yet to be fully operationalised.

According to information, the manual and guidelines relating to quality control are yet to be published. A draft manual prepared by the Andhra Pradesh Engineering Research Institute (AFRI) is still awaiting approval from several Central and State-level agencies, including the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Water Commission (CWC), Polavaram Project Authority (PPA), and the A.P. Water Resources Department.

The delay in approval of the draft manual is due to objections raised by some agencies, sources say. 

Structural setbacks

During the construction of the Polavaram project,  serious structural setbacks have occurred, with the old diaphragm wall—built at a cost of hundreds of crores—having been damaged. Additionally, the ‘guide-bund’, valued at nearly ₹100 crore, suffered damage.

Uncontrolled seepage through both the upper and lower cofferdams has caused substantial losses, forcing the government to spend more to manage the excess water discharge. Although work on the new diaphragm wall began six months ago, only 30% of the construction has been completed so far.

After much delay, a third-party quality control agency has been selected. Until now, quality inspections were handled internally by the contractor and the State’s engineering departments. However, the foreign expert committee, after reviewing the project, emphasised the need for an independent monitoring mechanism, citing the central role being played by the contractor not only in executing but also in designing and reviewing the works.

Third-party quality assurance

The experts also recommended that a robust third-party quality assurance mechanism should be in place to ensure neutrality and transparency. It took the government nearly six months to finalise the appointment of the third party. Consultations were initially held with reputed institutions like IIT, Tirupati and the National Institute of Building Construction.

However, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti did not approve the proposed arrangements, prompting the government to issue tenders. “Eventually, a Delhi-based firm with over 45 years of experience—ADCO—was selected. This firm will be entrusted with the responsibility of setting up a dedicated laboratory at the Polavaram project site to conduct material and construction quality tests,” sources say.

At this juncture, the absence of a finalised manual that defines clear quality standards for various components of the project is a key bottleneck. 

Experts believe that the roles and responsibilities of each agency, particularly in terms of quality control, must be specified clearly. The manual should lay down unambiguous protocols for testing procedures and assign accountability for each segment of the work, along with the authority responsible.

The third-party agency is also expected to set up an independent laboratory with the necessary equipment and resources to conduct real-time quality checks at the site. Until such systems are put firmly in place, concerns about structural integrity and long-term reliability will continue to overshadow the state’s most ambitious irrigation project, sources say.