KURNOOL: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday inaugurated tunnel-2 of the Owk Reservoir project in Nandyal district and dedicated it to the people.
He unveiled the pylon and released water at the rate of 20,000 cusecs from Gorakallu reservoir to Owk reservoir.
“The long-pending dream of the people of Rayalaseema has been fulfilled with the release of water to Owk Reservoir, which is an integral part of the Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) project,” an official statement read.
So far, the State government has spent Rs 1,501.94 crore for construction of three tunnels at the reservoir. Of the total, Rs 567.94 crore was spent for two tunnels.
The 5.801-km-long tunnel-3 is being constructed with an estimated cost of Rs 1,297.78 crore. Construction for an extent of 4.526 km of the third tunnel has been completed with Rs 934 crore.
After the completion of the project, Gandikota, Vamikonda, Sarvaraya Sagar, Mylavaram and Paidipalem reservoirs will receive additional one TMC water daily for irrigating 2.60 lakh acres in undivided Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts, besides stabilising 1.31 lakh acres and providing drinking water to 20 lakh people in 640 villages.
The project will also help fill Gandikota reservoir in 15 days through the Galeru-Nagari flood canal.
Further, Rayalaseema region will receive two TMC of water daily in flood season, officials added.
2 tunnels to provide 20k cusecs water
While tunnels 1 and 2 will facilitate the release of 20,000 cusecs of water into the Owk reservoir every day during flood season, tunnel 3 — once completed — will ensure water is released daily at the rate of 10,000 cusecs