Official attributes damage to second crest gate at Gundlakamma to rusting of bolts

Flash floods triggered by cyclone Michaung has caused significant damage to the second crest gate at the Kandula Obula Reddy Gundlakamma reservoir in Prakasam district. The Government of Andhra Pradesh, as part of efforts to address the issue, had finalised the tenders through the reverse tendering process on December 7, 2023, under which repair of all the 15 crest gates of the reservoir was sought to be undertaken with an estimated expenditure of ₹9.4 crore. “However, before repair works commenced, the second gate suffered damage on the night of December 8,” R. Muralinatha Reddy, Chief Engineer of the project, told The Hindu on December 9. The breach in the second gate led to a loss of 6,000 cusecs of water, he said, and added that about 1.4 tmc ft water would be retained after the loss.