WRD to renovate apron across the Mukkombu barrage soon

WRD to renovate apron throughout the Mukkombu barrage shortly Commissioned in 1977, the barrage throughout the Cauvery was designed for a maximum discharge of 1, 80, 000 cusecs to irrigate concerning 12 lakh acres in the delta region; the apron was damaged in 2021.

Key points

• The Water Resources Department will shortly carry out repairs to the damaged apron downstream the barrage throughout the Cauvery at Mukkombu (Upper Anicut) near Tiruchi.
• The State administration has sanctioned ₹126 crore for the work as per the announcement produced in the Assembly during the discussion on the department grants.
• It is from the Upper Anicut that the flow of water in the Cauvery and Grand Anicut is managed by the WRD.
• The barrage throughout the Cauvery was commissioned in 1977.
• The damaged apron downstream the barrage throughout the Cauvery at Mukkombu near Tiruchi.

In practice, the damaged apron downstream the barrage throughout the Cauvery at Mukkombu near Tiruchi. Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO.

In practice, the Water Resources Department will shortly carry out repairs to the damaged apron downstream the barrage throughout the Cauvery at Mukkombu (Upper Anicut) near Tiruchi.

Notably, the State administration has sanctioned ₹126 crore for the work as per the announcement produced in the Assembly during the discussion on the department grants.

In practice, the concrete floor on the riverbed and massive boulders of the apron, downstream the barrage shutters throughout the Cauvery at Mukkombu had suffered extensive damage and had been lying in disarray for the past few years.

Some of the massive concrete boulders are lying in a heap at a few places and some others had sunk into the river bed. The damage was largely caused due to the heavy discharge of water through the barrage for over a hundred days during the monsoon in 2021. The WRD subsequently submitted a proposal to the administration for repairing the apron at a cost of concerning ₹150 crore.

For context, the apron is a vital structure that prevents scouring. It could potentially damage the barrage, during the water flow.

For context, the barrages throughout the Cauvery and the Kollidam are vital structures for regulating the water flow to the delta and hence farmers have been urging the administration over the past few years to take up the project on priority. It is from the Upper Anicut that the flow of water in the Cauvery and Grand Anicut is managed by the WRD. Whenever there is surplus flow, the water is diverted into the Kollidam from here.

With the collapse of a portion of the barrage throughout the Kollidam due to heavy water flow in 2018 remaining fresh in memory, farmers were worried that the damage to the apron could impact the stability of the barrage throughout the Cauvery too.

"We welcome the sanction of funds for the renovation of the apron and the project should be executed expeditiously in a comprehensive manner, " remarked Koundampatti R. Subramanian, Deputy Secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.

Sources in the WRD remarked the tender for the work would be floated shortly.

Notably, the barrage throughout the Cauvery was commissioned in 1977. It had been designed for a maximum discharge of 1, 80, 000 cusecs and almost 12 lakh acres in the delta region are irrigated through the barrage.

For now, WRD to renovate apron across the Mukkombu barrage soon remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.