Vijayawada

On Tuesday, the Water Resources Department launched an operation to remove three boats that collided with the Prakasam Barrage on the Krishna River in Vijayawada during recent floods. Engineers are using two heavy cranes, each capable of lifting 50 tonnes, to handle the task.

The incident occurred on September 1 when four boats struck Gates 67, 69, and 70 of the barrage, which had all 70 gates open to manage floodwaters. One boat sank between the gates, and efforts are underway to locate another. The collision damaged the counterweight of Gate 69, but the main gate structures remain intact.

This removal effort follows the arrest of two individuals, including boat owner Ushadri and YSR Congress Party leader Komati Rammohan, on suspicion of sabotage. Both were remanded to 14 days of judicial custody by the court.

Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu suggested that the incident might be part of a deliberate plot, noting that the boats were poorly secured and carried YSRCP colors. He expressed concern about potential damage if the boats had struck the main structure of the barrage. Currently, the barrage is handling inflows of 2.09 lakh cusecs, with 2.01 lakh cusecs being released downstream, and three gates remain closed.