The Department of Transport, Roads, and Building (DTRB) has submitted the ₹176-crore proposal to the State government to erect a seawall with five-layer geo material for the protection of the Uppada coast from erosion.
The 1,463-meter long geo-tube installed in 2010 has been destroyed by tidal waves and erosion during the two cyclones — Vardah (2016) and Fani (2019).
P. D. Vijaya Kumar, Superintendent Engineer, DTRB-East Godavari district, told The Hindu, “The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS-Pune) experts recommended a solution of erecting geo-equipment, at a cost of ₹176 crore, along the five-km stretch of the coastline at Uppada. In early June, the proposal was submitted to the State government.”
In February, the CWPRS has carried out a one-week study on the Uppada beach profile, tidal waves, and its strength.
DTRB Divisional Engineer V. Srinivas explained, “The CWPRS experts’ solution is to erect a protection wall, six-meters high from the sea bed, with five layers that includes geo-fabric, tube, sand, stone belt, and concrete layer. The State government is likely to take a final call on the ₹176-crore proposal by early August”.
Mr. Srinivas said, “IIT-Madras has offered another solution that costs ₹211 crore. It has also been submitted to the State government. The cost of both the solutions — offered by the CWPRS and IIT-Madras — is beyond the projected estimations to prevent damage to the road from the erosion. Which solution gets adopted will depend on the State government.”
Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has recently reviewed the two proposals.
The Uppada coastline is 12-km away from Hope Island, which serves as a guard for the Kakinada coast from natural calamities.
