V&E report attributes ‘gross negligence’ by work agency to Medigadda failure

The preliminary report blames negligence and lack of maintenance for the failure of the Medigadda barrage in Hyderabad.

hyderabad

The status (preliminary) report of the Vigilance and Enforcement Department inquiring into the failure of Medigadda barrage of the much talked about Kaleshwaram project, submitted to the government earlier this week, has attributed the ‘gross negligence’ of the contract agency (L&T) to the sinking of piers and other damages to the structure.

It has pointed out that no maintenance has been carried out on the barrage since it was put into operation (inauguration) in June 2019. Other causes for the failure of the barrage pointed out by the probe officials include the non-removal of cofferdam along with connected sheet piles formed during the construction and the random rubble masonry pitching even after the lapse of five seasons and “they might have influenced the natural flow of the river”.

Further, the V&E officials have observed that the connection between the cut-off walls and raft might not have been cast as per drawings and the primary piles might have been damaged during the casting of secondary secant piles and it could have led to under mining. On the cracks observed on piers from 16 to 21 in Block-7, they said it was sheer failure of the raft due to escape/shifting of the raft supporting material.

They have pointed out that the recommendations of the 3D model study on trimming the upstream and downstream overburden were also not done before bringing the barrage into operation. The probe further found that there were several deviations committed by the work agency from the agreement conditions.

Faulting the role of the Irrigation Department too in the failure of the barrage, the V&E probe said the sounding and probing in the apron areas was supposed to be taken up after the monsoon every year, as the operation and maintenance guidelines, to assess the scours and launching of aprons in the vicinity of structure, but it was not done by the department. It has also not inspected the cement concrete blocks or launching aprons since the commissioning of the barrage.

The dislodging of launching aprons after the first flood in 2019 along with damage to the plinth slab had made the barrage susceptible to piping and subsequent progressive failure. The probe blamed the department for not carrying out the work as per the specified sequential manner. Many deviation approvals were made and they were not supported by any inspection notes of the higher authorities.