Cable bridge is of no use for Seema, says JAC

Shakuntala (Nandyal): Rayalaseema Joint Action. Committee (JAC) coordinator Kamani Venugopal Reddy demanded that the Central government suspend the tenders called for the construction of cable stayed-cum-suspension bridge across Krishna river connecting Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and passing through the Nallamala forest range

He urged the government to replace it with bridge-cum-barrage so that it can cater the needs of drinking and irrigation needs of Rayalaseema region people.

Addressing the media at Koilakuntla in Nandyal district on Thursday, the JAC coordinator said that the Centre approved construction of cable bridge at a cost of Rs 14,00 crore. “Tenders were also invited for the bridge. The cable stayed-cum-suspension bridge would not solve the problems of drinking and irrigation water needs of our region, except attracting the tourists,” he said.

He said only way to meet the needs of drinking and irrigation is Srisailam dam, from which water can be lifted to Pothireddypadu head regulator at the level of 854 feet. If the dam doesn’t reach the level then the water could not be lifted to Pothireddypadu head regulator, he pointed.

He said if the Central government constructs bridge cum barrage on Krishna, then it would cater both the drinking and irrigation water needs. The construction cost of the bridge-cum-barrage would also come to Rs 1,000 crore. The cable bridge is just a fancy one to attract the tourists and nothing more than that, Venugopala Reddy claimed.