Visakhapatnam: The Meghadri Gedda Reservoir is a main source of drinking water for the residents here, but is facing a maintenance crisis.The GVMC is burdened with a related, outstanding debt of over Rs 50 crore, which affects the upkeep of this facility. Since its start in 1977, the reservoir has been providing approximately 1.28 million cubic feet of water daily to the city areas.The irrigation department levies an annual fee on GVMC for water usage, ensuring operational sustainability. In 2024, GVMC managed a partial payment of Rs 40 lakh, but no payment was made in 2023. Officials say further delays could hamper the reservoir’s upkeep.Adding to the urgency, two of the six spillway gates of the reservoir remain non-functional and require immediate repair. Gate 5 has been inoperative for years, while another gate has been rendered unusable.An irrigation official confirmed to Deccan Chronicle that the bottom portions of all the six gates needed maintenance. A repair proposal costing Rs 5.80 crore has been submitted. “Of this, more than half the money is required to fix the two worst-affected gates,” he said.The irrigation department funded painting work on one side of the reservoir before last year’s monsoon season. The issue was raised at the recent Zilla Parishad meeting, where officials said the repair proposal had been sent for approval. Clearance from the QC & QA Circle superintending engineer in Nuzvid is awaited.GVMC’s superintendent engineer (water supply), KVN Ravi, told Deccan Chronicle, “An estimate of Rs 2 crore for repairs had been received from the irrigation department. The district collector has stated this, but the final approval lies with the GVMC council. This is delaying the release of funds.”The irrigation department says GVMC has neglected the Meghadri Gedda reservoir project and left the debt to ballooning over the years. With the infrastructure now showing signs of wear and tear and financial challenges complicating the maintenance plans, urgent action is called for.
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