Polavaram: Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari's visit to Polavaram yesterday has brought the loopholes of Andhra Pradesh water resources department into limelight. It was evident that there was lack of proper knowledge within the department personnel when they finalised only 14 project designs out 45 that were submitted to them. Gadkari asked the officials as to why they did so.

The union minister expressed anger over the functioning of the state water resources department and questioned them as to why they did not send the designs to CWC. He said how was the department planning to complete the project without a design. He was unhappy with the state government's attitude and said the design was not finalised because of the state. "When will you finalise the designs and send it to CWC?" he asked the officials. He pointed out that the lethargy of AP government in finalising the design was the reason for the delay in completion of Polavaram project.

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Gadkari was unhappy and expressed doubts over the state hiking the cost of land acquisition and rehabilitation of the displaced people to Rs 30 crores. He questioned how the affected land area due to the project had doubled from 2013. He ordered the state government officials to complete the civil works of the project by February next year. He said he would come back to inspect the project next March and added that the Centre would release the funds as soon as they receive clarification on the escalation of project cost.