This year, visitors are not allowed to the Nagarjunasagar project area when the dam gates will be operated for water release, thanks to COVID.
The decision was taken by the local Nandikonda municipality along with the Revenue and Police department on Thursday, as officials are estimating the opening of the dam gates with increasing water levels any time soon.
“People are requested to drop their plans of visiting Nagarjunasagar to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The virus spread can accelerate with the cool weather,” Nalgonda police said. The project witnessed thousands of visitors last year when the gates were operated almost after a decade. The local colonies, highways and smaller routes leading to the project site were clogged with traffic that eased up only after several hours.
Nagarjunasagar project (NSP) started receiving flood from the upstream this year, on Wednesday, with the operation of Srisailam project gates.
As of Thursday evening, seven of the Srisailam project gates were opened and was discharging about 1.90 lakh cusecs into the downstream.
SP R. Bhaaskaran cautioned fishermen and people residing in low-lying areas and areas along the banks of Musi and Pulichintala projects to not venture into water bodies.
