Kothagudem residents are worried about the safety of Bhadrachalam town due to recent damages to a protective embankment meant to guard against Godavari floods. Heavy rains caused a significant 50-meter section of the wall to collapse from the bridge center to the top of Kotha Colony. Overgrowth of trees and plants has further weakened the 3 km structure, creating holes in some areas. Locals fear that if the water level reaches 72 feet, the embankment won’t hold back the floods. Years ago, a three-foot wall was added to the 80-foot-high embankment for extra protection.
Mane Ramakrishna, the BRS Bhadrachalam constituency in-charge, criticized the government’s temporary fix of using sandbags to fill the gaps. He called for immediate and effective measures to prevent Godavari floods from endangering the town.
Macha Venkateswarlu, CPI (M) district secretary, voiced frustration over the inadequate preparations for potential severe flooding. He pointed out that Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao did not inspect the site where the wall collapsed during his recent visit. Venkateswarlu argued this oversight reflects the Congress government’s neglect of residents in vulnerable areas.
He highlighted the risk to Kotha Colony, AMC Colony, Ayyappa Colony, and other places since the wall fell and previously failed to prevent flooding. Despite raising the issue with officials and politicians, no action has been taken. Venkateswarlu noted that irrigation authorities claim Telangana funds cannot repair the wall as the collapsed section lies in Andhra territory. However, he insisted that Telangana residents are at risk and urged for the repair of sluices in Kotha and Ayyappa Colonies immediately.
