RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The tender for the much-awaited Godavari Water Grid project has been finalised, with Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) being awarded the Rs 1400 crore contract to complete the project within two years.
Rural Water Resources Executive Engineer, Nageswararao, confirmed that the initiative will address the long-standing water scarcity issues faced by the residents of the erstwhile West Godavari district. Despite being situated on the banks of the Godavari River, the district has struggled with water shortages due to several factors, including aquaculture, saline water contamination, and insufficient infrastructure.
The Rs 1400 crore project, jointly funded by the Union and State governments, will draw water from Vijjeswaram and pump it to rural areas in the district, ensuring safe drinking water for nearly Rs 30 lakh people in 1,019 villages across all Assembly constituencies in the region. Under the first phase, water will be supplied to 854 villages in areas such as Narasapuram, Tanuku, Palakollu, Achanta, and Tanuku. The second phase will cover 165 villages, including rural areas like Unguturu, Eluru, Akivedu, and Kalla.
The project will purify water from the Godavari River at Vijjeswaram, located at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, and pump it through a drinking water pipeline system to ensure a clean and reliable water supply. This project is expected to alleviate the decade-long struggle for safe drinking water faced by the local population and provide much-needed relief to communities in the region.