VIJAYAWADA: Declaring that a three-decade-old resolve has finally come to fruition, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced on X that he will formally inaugurate Phase-1 of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project on August 31, 2026.
Sharing a nostalgic photograph from March 5, 1996 — when he laid the foundation stone for the project as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh — Naidu noted that life has come full circle as he prepares to dedicate the completed Phase-1 to the nation 30 years later.
In a series of posts titled ‘Veligonda Jalasirulu – Abhivrudhiki Rekkalu’ (Veligonda Water Riches – Wings of Development), the Chief Minister emphasised that overcoming immense hurdles and engineering challenges through a Bhagiratha-like effort has made it possible to bring Krishna waters to the drought-hit lands of western Prakasam.
Under Phase-1, 10.7 TMC of water will be released into Nallamala Sagar at Markapuram, immediately providing irrigation to 1.19 lakh acres and safe drinking water to 4 lakh residents, with Phase-2 eventually expanding irrigation coverage to 3.283 lakh acres and drinking water to 11.25 lakh people.
Reaffirming his oath to the State, Chief Minister Naidu stated: ‘Water to every farmer’s field, employment for every youth, and security for every family—this is my resolve.’ He pledged permanent relief from the debilitating fluoride crisis in western Prakasam by delivering safe drinking water to every household via tap connections.
Naidu further highlighted that the project’s commissioning will serve as a catalyst for broader regional development, complementing the newly formed Markapuram district.
To accelerate economic growth, the State is rolling out a Rs 1-lakh-crore investment plan to transform Rayalaseema and undivided Prakasam into a major horticulture hub. Key infrastructure — including the Bengaluru–Amaravati Expressway, Ramayapatnam Port, and expanded national highway networks — will eliminate logistics bottlenecks and open new gateways for industrial growth.
The Rs 10,200-crore mega irrigation project is designed to draw 53.85 TMC of Krishna floodwaters by gravity from the foreshore of the Srisailam reservoir at Kollam Vagu into Nallamala Sagar, impounded by three non-overflow concrete dams across the Sunkesula, Gottipadiya, and Kakarla gaps.
Out of the total estimate, works worth Rs 7,983 crore have been executed so far. Official records highlight that nearly half of all project expenditure was incurred during the TDP and Coalition tenures. During 2019–24 under the YSRCP administration, works worth Rs 981 crore were taken up, but bills worth Rs 140 crore were kept pending, resulting in Rs 841 crore in actual expenditure (representing 2.77% of overall work progress).
The previous administration’s claim of dedicating the project to the nation prior to the 2024 elections occurred without releasing water or providing irrigation to a single acre.
Furthermore, manual blasting in Tunnel-II led to structural complications, including seven punctures made in Tunnel-I to extract excavated material.
Upon assuming office in 2024, the NDA coalition government cleared the backlogged Rs 140 crore in pending bills and accelerated key technical milestones. It appointed a technical expert committee to successfully extract the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) trapped inside Tunnel-II, completed 4,563 m of benching in Tunnel-II, and placed 2,200 cubic m of concrete at the tunnel head regulators.
Additionally, the State executed Rs 456 crore worth of feeder canal lining, concrete retaining walls, and head regulators for the Teegaleru and Eastern Main canals, while completing the 21.8-km feeder canal network.
To clear the reservoir submergence zone, land acquisition was completed for 30,300 acres out of the required 35,032 acres. Demonstrating unprecedented speed in welfare delivery for project-affected families (PAFs), the government disbursed Rs 768 crore in Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) compensation within a targeted 48-day drive to 7,321 families across 11 submerged villages, alongside establishing basic civic infrastructure across seven designated R&R colonies.
Beyond agricultural stabilisation, the assured water supply is positioned to halt distress migration by expanding horticulture, agro-processing, and food processing corridors linked to Ramayapatnam Port.