Naidu directs faster execution of key irrigation projects

Vijayawada: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to execute all irrigation projects strictly in line with the state’s irrigation calendar. He made it clear that there should not be any deviation from the fixed timelines to strengthen the state’s irrigation network and water security.

Reviewing the progress of irrigation projects on Monday, including the Polavaram project, the chief minister instructed officials to prioritise key projects and ensure there is no shortage of funds for land acquisition, rehabilitation and civil works. Besides the 25 projects announced earlier in the irrigation calendar, Naidu asked the officials for the inclusion of 11 more priority projects for accelerated execution.

Explaining about the Polavaram project progress, water resources special chief secretary Sasibhushan Kumar said that 88 percent of the civil works and 93 percent of land acquisition had been completed, while rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) works stood at 45 percent. The diaphragm wall construction was completed on April 2 this year, and the earth-cum-rock fill (ECRF) dam gap-1 and gap-2 works are expected to be completed by March 31, 2027.

Naidu said he would personally review Polavaram works every month and directed officials to complete the ECRF dam works within the fixed deadline. He also instructed them to ensure water supply through the left canal from July this year via the Purushothapatnam lift scheme. The chief minister called for a detailed study on linking Polavaram left canal waters from Meghadrigedda to Champavathi through the Vamsadhara and Nagavali river systems. He also directed officials to complete the relocation of Polavaram displaced families by April 2027 without disputes and in accordance with legal provisions.

Emphasising tourism potential, Naidu proposed the construction of an iconic bridge downstream of the Polavaram spillway to transform the region into a major tourism destination. The CM accorded high priority to the Veligonda project and instructed officials to complete phase-1 by July 2026. He also directed speedy completion of pending works in Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari, Chintalapudi and other irrigation schemes to ensure water reaches tail-end regions such as Mydukuru and Madakasira. Reviewing Kharif preparedness, Naidu stressed the need for timely water release into canals to avoid delays in the cultivation season. He asked officials to prepare contingency plans keeping possible El Niño conditions in view and emphasised efficient water management and groundwater recharge.

The chief minister also reviewed the status of lift irrigation schemes and expressed concern over the deterioration of several schemes between 2019 and 2024 due to a lack of budget allocations and maintenance. Water resources minister Ramanaidu informed that 362 lift schemes had become defunct during the previous YSRCP regime, and restoration has been taken up after NDA returned to power. He said that 156 schemes were made fully operational and 505 partially functional.

Among the projects included in the revised irrigation calendar are Polavaram Left Main Canal, Veligonda Phase-1, Tungabhadra new gates, Neradi Barrage, Godavari Delta modernisation, Somashila-Swarnamukhi link, GNSS canal works, Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme and Varikipudisela project, with completion targets extending up to 2028. Chief secretary G Sai Prasad was also present at the meeting.