VIJAYAWADA: Prakasam Barrage has been declared as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) by the International Commission of Irrigation and Drainage (ICID). The Prakasam Barrage (Old Krishna Anicut), is one of the 19 structures worldwide that the ICID has recognised for the year 2023.
The WHIS award will be presented by the President of ICID to Government of Andhra Pradesh at the 25th International Congress of ICID in Visakhapatnam scheduled to be held from November 2 to 8.
Till 2022, India has received a total of 14 WHIS awards, of which Andhra Pradesh has received four awards, one each to Cumbum Tank (2020), KC Canal (2020), Porumamilla Tank (2020), and Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage (2022).
With over 100 years of history, Prakasam Barrage continues to function and stretches 1223.5 m across River Krishna connecting Vijayawada in NTR district and Mangalagiri in Guntur district. Also serving as a road bridge, the construction of the Barrage got completed in 1957 and it helps irrigate over 1.2 million acres of land. It also supplies water to Buckingham Canal which was initially constructed as an inland navigation canal.