GUNTUR: The State government has sought funds from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to modernise and extend the Guntur Channel, a 47 km irrigation and drinking water lifeline for the Guntur district.
The channel, originating from the Krishna River near the Prakasam Barrage, supplies 3.2 TMC of irrigation water and 1.42 TMC of drinking water to five mandals, including Guntur and Mangalagiri. The proposed extension will stretch the channel to 74.065 km, benefiting 48,000 acres of farmland and 33 villages, at an estimated cost of Rs 625 crore.
Delays in surveys and permissions have stalled the project, which was initially allotted Rs 274 crore during the TDP government (2014–19). Recent floods damaging embankments and inundating crops reignited the urgency for modernisation.
The extension will boost the channel’s capacity from 600 cusecs to 750 cusecs and address water demands for Guntur Municipal Corporation, Tadepalli Mangalagiri Municipal Corporation, and 38 tanks across 33 villages.
Union Minister of State for Rural Development Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar recently discussed the project with water resource officials, urging NABARD to prioritise funding. NABARD officials reportedly responded positively. A surplus escape regulator is planned to manage excess floodwaters by diverting them to lakes and canals.
The project requires acquiring 441.16 acres, including 389.78 acres in Guntur district and 51.38 acres in Bapatla. Officials aim to expedite land acquisition and approvals to meet the growing water needs of the region’s increasing population.