VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu announced on Monday that the works on the Left Main Canal of the Polavaram Project will be completed by July this year, enabling water supply to the Visakhapatnam region.
Speaking to the media, he said the State government has sanctioned Rs 1,050 crore, and tenders have been finalised to expedite the works.
He added that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu prioritised simultaneous progress of the Left Canal and the main Polavaram Project to ensure North Andhra receives Godavari waters without delay.
Of the eight project packages, contracts for five have been awarded, and works are underway.
A dedicated website has been launched to monitor progress, and a review meeting was held to address bottlenecks in rehabilitation, resettlement, and land acquisition.
Blaming the previous YSRCP regime for delays, Rama Naidu alleged negligence during their initial 17 months in power, which led to the damage of the D-wall during the 2021 floods. He said the current government is spending Rs 990 crore on a new D-wall and aims to complete it by December.
He also noted issues with the reduced capacity of the Left and Right canals under the YSRCP rule, which are now being resolved.
On Krishna water-sharing disputes with Telangana, he criticised the YSRCP government’s silence and promised to resolve the matter with the Central government, emphasising that changes to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act can only be made through Parliament.