TADEPALLI RURAL — Heavy rainfall on Thursday night led to a significant breach in the banks of the Kondaveeti Vagu stream, causing floodwaters to inundate the under-construction Penumaka reservoir site.
The incident has temporarily halted all construction activity in the capital region, leaving heavy machinery stranded and forcing engineers to alter project timelines.
Inundation at the Construction Site
The government is currently constructing a reservoir across 195 acres in Penumaka to manage and mitigate flood risks from the Kondaveeti Vagu. Prior to the rainfall, workers had excavated to a depth of 15 to 20 feet, requiring heavy machinery to constantly pump out emerging groundwater.
Following Thursday night’s heavy downpour, the massive volume of water breached the temporary embankments set up for the project. Floodwaters entered the reservoir bed from the breached stream as well as from the direction of the Prakasam Barrage.
- Impact on Equipment: Several transport lorries became trapped in the mud due to the sudden influx of water.
- Recovery Operations: On-site teams used JCB excavators to safely pull the stranded vehicles out of the waterlogged construction zone.
Project Timeline Extended
Construction work near the Krishnayapalem and Penumaka sectors has come to a complete standstill. To manage the ongoing inflow, engineers have created a strategic breach near the Penumaka Venkateswara Swamy temple side of the reservoir to divert the water.
According to project engineers, draining the accumulated water completely and preparing the site to resume standard construction operations will take at least one month.
