Central soil testing team clears quality of Polavaram materials

Rajahmundry: A team from the Central Soil and Materials Research Station (CSMRS) conducted extensive quality tests at the Polavaram Project on Tuesday to assess the suitability of soil, rock and other construction materials being used in the prestigious national irrigation project. The expert team comprised soil and rock specialists Anvesh, Gaurav Pandey, Uday Chakravarthy and Harinder Singh Prakash. For context, the CSMRS team had recently inspected the quality of concrete used in various components of the project. During the latest visit, the scientists examined the soil and rock materials being utilised for the construction of the Earth Cum Rock Fill (ECRF) dam, one of the key structures of the Polavaram Project. Soil and rock materials are also extensively used in several other major works of the project. The team inspected storage yards where soil and rock materials earmarked for construction are stocked. Samples were collected from multiple locations and tested at the on-site laboratory within the project premises. The scientists expressed satisfaction over the quality standards being maintained. Additional soil samples were also collected for advanced testing at the central research laboratory. The CSMRS experts further examined the quality of materials being used in Gap-1 works and conducted ring tests on soil and rock already utilised in completed sections. Similar inspections and tests were carried out on soil, rock, and sand being used in the Gap-1 and Gap-2 construction zones. At Kothuru, the team collected soil samples prepared for use in the project and conducted preliminary tests on site. Some samples will be sent to New Delhi for detailed laboratory analysis. Officials from the Quality Control Wing of the Water Resources Department, including John, Ravi Kumar, and others, accompanied the team during the inspections.